Engineering Mechatronics Level 3 Apprentice
GEA FOOD SOLUTIONS UK & IRELAND LTD
Recruiting nationally
Closes in 11 days (Monday 10 August 2026 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 30 July 2026
Contents
Summary
GEA is a leading manufacturer of food-processing machinery and is looking to recruit a Field Service Engineer Apprentice. This is a field-based role covering the Birmingham region, where the successful candidate will travel to customer sites to install, service and maintain specialist food-processing equipment.
- Wage
-
£16,640 to £26,436.80, depending on your age
National Minimum Wage
Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
- 18 – 20 years of age - £22, 568
- Over 21 years of age - £26 436
- Training course
- Mechatronics maintenance technician (level 3)
- Hours
-
Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, with a 30-minute unpaid lunch break.
Please note that there may also be occasions where you will be expected to work evenings, depending on business needs.
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 7 September 2026
- Duration
-
4 years
- Positions available
-
1
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
Role and Responsibilities:
- Install, service, repair and maintain food processing, packaging, slicing and baking equipment at customer sites.
- Diagnose and resolve electrical, mechanical and network-related faults.
- Provide excellent customer service, technical support and guidance on-site.
- Build strong working relationships with customers, colleagues and subcontractors.
- Record service work, repairs, parts used and equipment faults accurately.
- Ensure all site issues and customer queries are logged and communicated effectively.
- Manage van stock, tools, equipment and company vehicle to a high standard.
- Attend customer sites across the Birmingham region, with occasional travel to the Milton Keynes head office.
- Complete administrative tasks, reports and documentation accurately and on time.
- Follow all Health & Safety, Quality Management and company procedures.
- Attend training courses and achieve relevant engineering qualifications.
- Support business growth by identifying service opportunities and assisting the Service Sales team.
- Work to company KPIs and Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
- Take part in overtime, out-of-hours work and overnight stays when required.
- Carry out additional duties as requested by your line manager.
Where you'll work
The successful apprentice will primarily work across the Birmingham (West Midlands) region, although occasional travel to other locations across the UK may be required as part of the role. GEA's head office is based in Milton Keynes, and you will be expected to attend this location from time to time for training, meetings and other business requirements.
Employer is looking for an apprentice who is based in the Birmingham region
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
BIRMINGHAM METROPOLITAN COLLEGE
Training course
Mechatronics maintenance technician (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Use information technology, for example to create documentation, communication and information management.
- Obtain, read and interpret task related documentation, such as work instructions, quality control documents, drawings, operation manuals, specifications and service manuals.
- Record information for example job sheets, risk assessments, equipment service records, test results, handover documents and manufacturers' documentation, asset management records, work sheets, checklists, waste environmental records and any legal reporting requirements.
- Conduct initial assessment of equipment that requires maintenance.
- Formulate plans setting out the methodology of the maintenance activity including timescales and resources.
- Select, prepare and use material, consumables, tools and equipment.
- Comply with health and safety regulations and organisational requirements applicable in the workplace. For example, COSHH, PUWER, LOLER, PPE and applying safe systems of work.
- Apply dynamic risk assessment, hazard identification and risk mitigation principles and techniques.
- Apply isolation principles and techniques to equipment undergoing maintenance, including dissipation of stored energies as required.
- Manufacture, repair and refurbish components using hand and machine tools.
- Restore the workplace on completion of the maintenance activity. Handover resources, consumables and equipment to process owner.
- Apply the techniques and processes used in reactive maintenance and repair activities on complex engineered systems such as electrical, electronic, mechanical, fluid power and control systems.
- Produce, maintain, update, record and store documentation including electronic items such as PLC and robot programmes.
- Apply techniques and processes used in planned and preventative maintenance activities on engineered systems such as electrical, electronic, mechanical, fluid power and control systems.
- Apply functional testing and checking techniques and processes after maintenance interventions, and handover to the operational team.
- Apply techniques and processes used in condition monitoring, non-destructive or sensory testing. Record findings and take necessary actions.
- Apply calculation techniques such as, feeds, speeds, tolerances, electrical calculations using Ohms law, power calculations and cable sizing calculations.
- Select, use and confirm calibration of electrical and mechanical testing and measuring equipment.
- Produce sketches or drawings to support maintenance activities.
- Communicate in writing. Prepare communications, documents and reports on technical matters.
- Segregate, separate and dispose of waste streams and by-products.
- Apply 4S or 5S principles of housekeeping to the work environment.
- Identify opportunities and make recommendations to improve operational performance.
- Apply continuous improvement techniques.
- Communicate with others verbally. Negotiate with colleagues or stakeholders. For example, to access equipment or arrange access to equipment.
- Follow equity, diversity and inclusion procedures.
- Carry out and record planned and unplanned learning and development activities.
- Apply fault finding techniques used in reactive maintenance on complex integrated systems including half split, input output, six point technique, function or performance testing, unit or component substitution and equipment diagnostics.
- Use information technology, for example to create documentation, communication and information management.
- Obtain, read and interpret task related documentation, such as work instructions, quality control documents, drawings, operation manuals, specifications and service manuals.
- Record information for example job sheets, risk assessments, equipment service records, test results, handover documents and manufacturers' documentation, asset management records, work sheets, checklists, waste environmental records and any legal reporting requirements.
- Conduct initial assessment of equipment that requires maintenance.
- Formulate plans setting out the methodology of the maintenance activity including timescales and resources.
- Select, prepare and use material, consumables, tools and equipment.
- Comply with health and safety regulations and organisational requirements applicable in the workplace. For example, COSHH, PUWER, LOLER, PPE and applying safe systems of work.
- Apply dynamic risk assessment, hazard identification and risk mitigation principles and techniques.
- Apply isolation principles and techniques to equipment undergoing maintenance, including dissipation of stored energies as required.
- Manufacture, repair and refurbish components using hand and machine tools.
- Restore the workplace on completion of the maintenance activity. Handover resources, consumables and equipment to process owner.
- Apply the techniques and processes used in reactive maintenance and repair activities on complex engineered systems such as electrical, electronic, mechanical, fluid power and control systems.
- Produce, maintain, update, record and store documentation including electronic items such as PLC and robot programmes.
- Apply techniques and processes used in planned and preventative maintenance activities on engineered systems such as electrical, electronic, mechanical, fluid power and control systems.
- Apply functional testing and checking techniques and processes after maintenance interventions, and handover to the operational team.
- Apply techniques and processes used in condition monitoring, non-destructive or sensory testing. Record findings and take necessary actions.
- Apply calculation techniques such as, feeds, speeds, tolerances, electrical calculations using Ohms law, power calculations and cable sizing calculations.
- Select, use and confirm calibration of electrical and mechanical testing and measuring equipment.
- Produce sketches or drawings to support maintenance activities.
- Communicate in writing. Prepare communications, documents and reports on technical matters.
- Segregate, separate and dispose of waste streams and by-products.
- Apply 4S or 5S principles of housekeeping to the work environment.
- Identify opportunities and make recommendations to improve operational performance.
- Apply continuous improvement techniques.
- Communicate with others verbally. Negotiate with colleagues or stakeholders. For example, to access equipment or arrange access to equipment.
- Follow equity, diversity and inclusion procedures.
- Carry out and record planned and unplanned learning and development activities.
- Apply fault finding techniques used in reactive maintenance on complex integrated systems including half split, input output, six point technique, function or performance testing, unit or component substitution and equipment diagnostics.
Training schedule
The apprenticeship will be delivered over 4 years through a mix of college learning at James Watt College and workplace training at Geo Engineering. In Year 1, the apprentice will attend college for 3 days per week on a day release model. In Year 2, this reduces to 1 day per week in college on a day release model. In Year 3, the focus moves to workplace development, with the Skills Coach/Assessor visiting the workplace. In Year 4, the apprentice continues workplace development and completes end-point assessment.
Academic training will take place: James Watt College
How often training will take place:
Year 1, 3 days per week in college on a day release model;
Year 2, 1 day per week in college on a day release model;
Year 3, workplace development with Skills Coach/Assessor visits;
Year 4, workplace development and end-point assessment.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade C/4 or above in English)
- Maths (grade C/4 or above in Maths)
- Science (grade Grade C/4 or above)
Engineering Level 2 in:
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Number skills
- Analytical skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Creative
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Patience
- Physical fitness
- Adaptable and flexible
- Willing and able to travel
Other requirements
- You will need a full clean driving license and access to your own car (A company service van will be provided for work purposes).
- To be comfortable with traveling long distances
- Birmingham West Midlands based
- Be comfortable with working away from home
About this employer
GEA is proud to serve customers around the world in the food, beverage, chemical, pharma, dairy processing, dairy farming and marine industries. Many of these sectors are experiencing tremendous growth given global trends and other socio-economic drivers – contributing to GEA’s solid performance. Our strategy for the coming years, Mission 30, is based on strengthening our position in these key industries by accelerating sustainable, profitable growth and making a positive impact.
https://www.gea.com/en/ (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
- Overtime opportunities
- Company pension scheme with 4% employee contributions and 5% employer contributions.
- Single private medical insurance through Bupa, available upon successful completion of the probationary period.
After this apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
This apprenticeship provides an excellent opportunity for the right candidate to develop a long-term career within GEA. With the support of experienced engineers and ongoing training, successful candidates will have the opportunity to develop their technical skills, gain industry-recognised qualifications and progress within the business.
As experience and knowledge grow, there may be opportunities to progress into more advanced engineering roles, such as Senior Field Service Engineer, Technical Specialist or other engineering positions across the company or within other companies
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
BIRMINGHAM METROPOLITAN COLLEGE
Recruitment Team
recruitment@bmet.ac.uk
0121 362 1122
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000045462.
Apply now
Closes in 11 days (Monday 10 August 2026 at 11:59pm)