Engineering Apprentice

BERNARD MATTHEWS (DERBY) LIMITED

Derby (DE23 8NT)

Closes in 12 days (Monday 26 May 2025 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 12 May 2025


Summary

Those that are selected to complete this apprenticeship will work with a diverse team of engineers, providing our business with preventative and reactive maintenance and continuous improvement on a wide range of packaging machinery, cooking equipment and utilities plant all within our Derby site.

Training course
Mechatronics maintenance technician (level 3)
Hours
Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, shifts, may work evenings and weekends. 30 minutes for lunch.

40 hours a week

Start date

Monday 1 September 2025

Duration

3 years 6 months

Positions available

5

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

As an apprentice, your job will be:

  • To follow Company Health and Safety guidelines and safety instructions of equipment and risk assessments
    To carry out scheduled preventative and reactive maintenance tasks.
  • To gain an in-depth understanding of packaging, cooking and preparation machinery along with utilities equipment.
  • To assist in the maintenance of spare parts and stock control.
  • To complete maintenance records and expand the functionality of our computerized maintenance management system.
  • To collaborate with other departments to highlight areas of improvement and to plan scheduled works.
  • To ensure that all maintenance activities are carried out in accordance with health and safety requirements, to include general and personal risk assessments.

Where you'll work

Bernard Matthews
Princes Street
Derby
DE23 8NT

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

College or training organisation

DCG

Your 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.

Your training plan

This training plan has not been finalised. Check with this employer if you’ll need to travel to a college or training location for this apprenticeship.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English (grade C/4 or above)
  • Maths (grade C/4 or above)

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

  • Communication skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Organisation skills
  • Logical
  • Team working
  • Non judgemental
  • Patience
  • Motivated
  • Positive attitude

Other requirements

As the nature of this role is within the food industry, please consider that you will have to work in cold, hot and wet environments and from time to time there may be heavy lifting, working in confined spaces and working outdoors required. If we are interested in taking your application further, you will receive an email from a derby college email address (@derby-college.ac.uk). Please make sure that you check your inbox as well as your spam/junk folders, so you do not miss out on the opportunity to apply.

About this company

Bernard Matthews is a FMCG manufacturer. We produce ready to cook and ready to eat chicken meals to some of the top 5 Supermarkets. Our site is based in Peartree Derby. We are a very diverse site with 700 employees, from arrange of nationalities, cultures & religion.

Company benefits

20-28 days holiday (Bank holidays are included in this) depending on shift.

After this apprenticeship

Successful completion may lead to a permanent position within our maintenance department. Where there may be scope to progress further into a lead or technical role.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

DCG

Niall Nanson

niall.nanson@derby-college.ac.uk

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000316982.

Apply now

Closes in 12 days (Monday 26 May 2025 at 11:59pm)

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