Packaging Designer Degree Apprenticeship
S. SHEARD & SON LIMITED
Halifax (HX4 8AQ)
Closes in 27 days (Thursday 2 October 2025 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 4 September 2025
Contents
Summary
Study while gaining hands-on experience in our design, technical and operations teams. Work on projects that involve customer briefs, board performance testing, sustainable material selection, sample making, and cutting-edge design development. Learn how to design structural corrugated packaging to meet technical and commercial requirements.
- Wage
-
£20,000 a year
- Training course
- Packaging professional (integrated degree) (level 6)
- Hours
-
Monday to Friday, 8.00am to 5.00pm, with 1-hour lunch.
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 1 December 2025
- 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
- Use industry-standard software to create samples and development drawings
- Work on live projects with our production and operations teams to optimise packaging performance, sustainability and cost
- Gain insights into the full packaging lifecycle from concept to CAD to manufacturing and customer delivery
- Understand key aspects of packaging legislation, materials, supply chain, print and innovation
- Participate in customer meetings, factory trials, and cross-functional design reviews
- Contribute to a culture of creativity, problem solving and continuous improvement
Where you'll work
Solar Works
Calder Street
Greetland
Halifax
HX4 8AQ
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
SHEFFIELD HALLAM UNIVERSITY
Training course
Packaging professional (integrated degree) (level 6)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Translate customer briefs to determine a technical packaging brief, which considers business, consumer, operational and sustainability requirements.
- Identify, design, develop and source packaging solutions demonstrating best value, environmental impact and fitness for purpose to meet briefs.
- Critically analyse and apply packaging design options against complex inter-related touchpoints to meet the needs from design to end of life, e.g. environmental impact using life cycle assessment.
- Liaise and coordinate with other stakeholders (e.g. supplier, R&D, marketing, finance, technical) to deliver packaging development projects. When appropriate take the lead and drive the project.
- Initiate and lead projects, using project management tools and skills to deliver projects to time, cost, specification and quality.
- Identify and control project risks through mitigation plans.
- Define parameters, design of experiments, success criteria and protocols for projects appropriate to the brief.
- Lead the design and management of packaging trials (e.g. prototypes, production of samples, transit, shelf life, sensory, machine-ability).
- Document and evaluate trials at different project stages (e.g. laboratory, pilot plant, supplier, filling and packing, transit and distribution) recommending further activities.
- Report results and conclusions. Hypothesise and recommend further adaptions and optimisations.
- Ensure compliance with packaging and market regulatory requirements.
- Demonstrate financial acumen, e.g. managing budget(s); interpreting financial data and evaluating total product costs and their impact throughout the value chain.
- Investigate and interpret non-conformance issues related to Packaging. Resolve using root cause analysis and apply change management.
- Effectively communicate with stakeholders at different levels, building positive working relationships; influencing and persuading key stakeholders effectively.
- Translate business strategy into internal and external capability building programmes (e.g. supplier quality improvement programmes).
- Demonstrate critical thinking, analytical and statistical skills to evaluate and interpret complex information and data (e.g. process capability).
- Proactively identify opportunities to improve packaging based on an analysis of costs, continuous improvement, environmental impact, waste avoidance and process improvements.
- Provide comprehensive technical services to internal colleagues, customers and suppliers.
- Coach and/or mentor.
- Use visual and digital tools systems, e.g. project management, computer aided engineering, business management systems, palletisation software.
Training schedule
You will attend Sheffield Hallam University on a series of study blocks
Requirements
Essential qualifications
A Level 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
- Customer care skills
- Creative
- Initiative
Other requirements
This role is based at our site in Greetland, near Halifax, so you’ll need to make sure the commute works for you. It’s a hands-on position that combines CAD and design work with practical sample making and development in our workshops. The pace of projects can be fast, with changing priorities, so flexibility and the ability to adapt are important. You’ll also need to travel to Sheffield regularly for study days as part of the degree, with expenses covered – having access to a car would make this much easier.
About this employer
As the UK’s largest independent corrugated cardboard box manufacturers, we’ve been providing sustainable packaging solutions for 3 generations. Renowned for our innovation and commitment to our customers, we design, manufacture, manage and deliver every one of our products directly from our Halifax site. We aim to lead positive change in the packaging industry, empowering our people, supporting our communities, and protecting our planet. Guided by strong family values, we’re committed to creating innovative, sustainable packaging solutions that help our customers succeed while redefining industry standards for the better.
After this apprenticeship
On successful completion of the apprenticeship, you will be offered the opportunity to continue your career with us as a Structural Designer within our design team. This role would allow you to put your learning into practice on live customer projects and continue developing your skills in structural packaging. We’ll also carry out an internal review to make sure your responsibilities align with your strengths and ambitions, and you’ll benefit from ongoing training and professional development to help you progress further in your career.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
SHEFFIELD HALLAM UNIVERSITY
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000340544.
Apply now
Closes in 27 days (Thursday 2 October 2025 at 11:59pm)
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