Apprentice Engineering Technician - Operations

SUEZ RECYCLING AND RECOVERY UK LTD

Ipswich (IP6 0JE)

Closes on Sunday 1 March 2026

Posted on 22 January 2026

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Summary

At Suez, we’re committed to making our world a more sustainable place – a highly complex challenge. If you’re ready to shape the future, collaborate, and drive positive change, we want you on our team. Join us to unleash your talent and help us achieve our shared goals

• Wage:

  £24,087 a year

  Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

  Must be able to get self to site for work – public transport access poor.

• Training course: Engineering maintenance technician - single discipline (level 3)
• Hours: Monday - Friday, between 8:30am and 16:30pm - 30 minutes for lunch.

  37 hours 30 minutes 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

You’ll be learning about the critical elements of the plant with the Operations Team, making sure everything runs safely and efficiently, in a way that complies with environmental legislation. It means continuously monitoring, controlling, assessing and adjusting plant processes, and applying your expertise to any problems that arise.

• You will be working in all site departments to gain awareness and knowledge before specialising in the Operations department.
• You will report to the Operations Manager, but be working with shift and maintenance teams.

Where you'll work

Suffolk EFW, Lodge Lane, Great Blakenham
Ipswich
IP6 0JE

Training

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

Training provider

WEST SUFFOLK COLLEGE

Training course

Engineering maintenance technician - single discipline (level 3)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents

• Review and use information. For example, work instructions, drawings, design specifications, and plant configurations.
• Use planning, prioritising, organising, and time management techniques to plan tasks.
• Identify and organise resources to complete tasks. For example, consumables.
• Respond and adapt to work demands. For example, adapt working methods to reflect changes in working environment, re-prioritise workloads to react to breakdowns and fault scenarios.
• Identify equipment to work on. Check plant configuration is as defined.
• Prepare the work area for maintenance tasks.
• Identify environmental and health and safety hazards and risks and apply control measures.
• Apply health, safety, and environmental procedures in compliance with regulations, standards, and guidance. For example, signage and barriers, working at height, confined spaces, and COSHH.
• Follow security procedures. For example, site access, document classification, and securing assets.
• Follow emergency incident and response procedures.
• Apply sustainability principles. For example, minimising waste.
• Segregate items for reuse, recycling, and waste.
• Use mathematical principles and formulae to support engineering maintenance.
• Apply engineering maintenance standards and procedures.
• Apply foreign material exclusion procedures.
• Follow maintenance tools and equipment control procedures. For example, handling and storage.
• Reinstate the work area.
• Apply team working principles.
• Communicate with others to give and receive information. For example, colleagues, customers, and stakeholders.
• Escalate issues outside limits of responsibility.
• Record information.
• Produce or update documents. For example, handover notes and reports.
• Identify and highlight issues (red pen) with technical drawings.
• Use digital and information technology. For example, databases, data sharing platforms, email, management information systems, and word processing. Follow cyber security and GDPR requirements.
• Apply continuous improvement techniques to identify improvement suggestions.
• Carry out and record planned and unplanned learning and development activities.
• Electrical. Confirm safe electrical isolation lockout tagout method has been applied and test for dead.
• Electrical. Select, check, and use electrical maintenance tools, measurement, and test equipment.
• Electrical. Use electrical diagnostic equipment and apply fault finding and rectification techniques.
• Electrical. Apply problem solving and critical reasoning techniques.
• Electrical. Inspect and test electrical aspects of plant. For example, visual checks, insulation and continuity checks, thermographic surveys, and voltage levels.
• Electrical. Remove and replace electrical parts.
• Electrical. Prepare and terminate electrical cables.
• Electrical. Set up, align and adjust electrical aspects of plant.
• Electrical. Clean parts. For example, removal of dust and debris.
• Electrical. Conduct and confirm electrical and connected services deisolation.
• Electrical. Conduct functional testing.
• Control and instrumentation. Conduct and confirm safe isolation of connected services
• Control and instrumentation. Confirm safe electrical isolation lockout tagout method has been applied and test for dead.
• Control and instrumentation. Select, check, and use control and instrumentation maintenance tools, measurement, and test equipment.
• Control and instrumentation. Use control and instrumentation diagnostic equipment and apply fault finding and rectification techniques.
• Control and instrumentation. Apply problem solving and critical reasoning techniques.
• Control and instrumentation. Inspect and test control and instrumentation systems.
• Control and instrumentation. Check calibration and make adjustments.
• Control and instrumentation. Check loop function.
• Control and instrumentation. Set up and adjust control and instrumentation systems.
• Control and instrumentation. Clean parts. For example, removal of dust and debris.
• Control and instrumentation. Remove and replace instruments and sensors.
• Control and instrumentation. Re-connect instrumentation power supply, cables, pipework, and services.
• Control and instrumentation. Conduct and confirm electrical and connected services deisolation.
• Control and instrumentation. Conduct functional testing.
• Mechanical. Check and confirm safe isolation of connected services.
• Mechanical. Select, check, and use mechanical maintenance tools and equipment.
• Mechanical. Use mechanical diagnostic equipment and apply fault finding and rectification techniques.
• Mechanical. Apply problem solving and critical reasoning techniques.
• Mechanical. Check condition and operation of mechanical aspects of plant and equipment. For example, pumps.
• Mechanical. Remove and replace mechanical parts.
• Mechanical. Examine mechanical parts for defects. For example, pump seals.
• Mechanical. Set up, align, and adjust mechanical aspects of plant.
• Mechanical. Clean parts. For example, removal of dust and debris.
• Mechanical. Lubricate mechanical assemblies.
• Mechanical. Confirm electrical and connected services deisolation.
• Mechanical. Conduct functional testing.
• Mechanical. Apply bench fitting techniques.
• Review and use information. For example, work instructions, drawings, design specifications, and plant configurations.
• Use planning, prioritising, organising, and time management techniques to plan tasks.
• Identify and organise resources to complete tasks. For example, consumables.
• Respond and adapt to work demands. For example, adapt working methods to reflect changes in working environment, re-prioritise workloads to react to breakdowns and fault scenarios.
• Identify equipment to work on. Check plant configuration is as defined.
• Prepare the work area for maintenance tasks.
• Identify environmental and health and safety hazards and risks and apply control measures.
• Apply health, safety, and environmental procedures in compliance with regulations, standards, and guidance. For example, signage and barriers, working at height, confined spaces, and COSHH.
• Follow security procedures. For example, site access, document classification, and securing assets.
• Follow emergency incident and response procedures.
• Apply sustainability principles. For example, minimising waste.
• Segregate items for reuse, recycling, and waste.
• Use mathematical principles and formulae to support engineering maintenance.
• Apply engineering maintenance standards and procedures.
• Apply foreign material exclusion procedures.
• Follow maintenance tools and equipment control procedures. For example, handling and storage.
• Reinstate the work area.
• Apply team working principles.
• Communicate with others to give and receive information. For example, colleagues, customers, and stakeholders.
• Escalate issues outside limits of responsibility.
• Record information.
• Produce or update documents. For example, handover notes and reports.
• Identify and highlight issues (red pen) with technical drawings.
• Use digital and information technology. For example, databases, data sharing platforms, email, management information systems, and word processing. Follow cyber security and GDPR requirements.
• Apply continuous improvement techniques to identify improvement suggestions.
• Carry out and record planned and unplanned learning and development activities.

Training schedule

• The learner will be studying the Engineering Maintenance Technician - Single discipline Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard qualification. 
• Day release to West Suffolk College.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE or equivalent in:

Maths, English, and Science (grade 5-9)

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
• Initiative
• Team working
• Problem solving skills
• Patience
• Logical

Other requirements

The building has grating floors, allowing a view to ground level from 30m.

Periods of working outside will be required, and manual handling will be required.

This is a waste process plant, so household waste is present with the associated hazards, smells and pests.

About this employer

Our goal is to help create a circular economy in which nearly all waste materials are given a second life and are reused, recycled or recovered for their energy content.We encourage our customers to recognise the value in materials they throw away and to recycle as much as possible to reduce not only their environmental impact but also the cost of disposing of their waste.We believe waste is a resource. To find out about the full range of our cost - effective and reliable recycling and waste management services and how we help our customers to stay compliant with the latest waste legislation as we transition into to the circular economy, visit www.suez.co.uk

Disability Confident

A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.

You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.

After this apprenticeship

Possible opportunity as a full-time Operations Technician working in a shift pattern as part of a small team (The role will be on a 12-hour shift basis, both days and nights - equivalent of 37.5 averaged and annualised hours).

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

WEST SUFFOLK COLLEGE

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000009976.

Apply now

Closes on Sunday 1 March 2026

After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.