Apprentice Maintenance Technician
HILLARYS BLINDS LIMITED
Washington (NE37 3ES)
Closes in 11 days (Friday 4 September 2026 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 24 August 2026
Contents
Summary
An exciting opportunity is available for an Apprentice Maintenance Technician at our Washington site. This hands-on role offers the chance to develop engineering and maintenance skills within a fast-paced manufacturing environment, supporting the upkeep, repair and optimisation of production equipment.
- Wage
-
£16,224 a year
Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
31 days holiday inclusive of BH
Enrolled on to the pension scheme after 3 months
1 x life assurance
- Training course
- Mechatronics maintenance technician (level 3)
- Hours
-
Monday- Thursday
7am- 4pm
Friday
7am- 12pm
39 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 14 September 2026
- Duration
-
3 years 6 months
- 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
- Support production breakdown maintenance activities, repairing and replacing production equipment while recording downtime data accurately
- Assist with equipment reconfiguration, including repositioning manufacturing equipment and services to support changing production requirements
- Complete maintenance and improvement tasks across all areas of the business
- Manage and maintain maintenance componentry, tooling and workshop inventory
- Follow work instructions, safe working procedures and company policies at all times
- Support compliance with relevant Health & Safety legislation and quality standards
- Identify and resolve maintenance issues in a timely manner, escalating where appropriate
- Communicate effectively with colleagues and stakeholders, providing updates on work progress and completed tasks
- Prioritise workloads and work to agreed schedules and deadlines
- Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives to enhance operational efficiency and effectiveness
Where you'll work
Glover Industrial Estate
Spire Road
Washington
NE37 3ES
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
CITY OF SUNDERLAND 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
Level 3 Mechatronics Maintenance Technician Day release at college one day a week for 3 academic years
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 4-9)
- Maths (grade 4-9)
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
- Problem solving skills
- Analytical skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Initiative
About this employer
Our Washington manufacturing site is home to a skilled team dedicated to crafting Hillarys’ high-quality, made-to-measure blinds. Located in the North East, the site combines expert craftsmanship with efficient production processes to deliver the exceptional products that our customers know and trust. As part of the Hunter Douglas Group, the global leader in window coverings, our colleagues benefit from the stability, innovation, and opportunities that come with being part of an internationally recognised organisation.
After this apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
- There will be the possibility of permanent employment upon the successful completion of the apprenticeship
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
CITY OF SUNDERLAND COLLEGE
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000049289.
Apply now
Closes in 11 days (Friday 4 September 2026 at 11:59pm)