Engineering Apprentice

STAINLESS METALCRAFT (CHATTERIS) LIMITED

Cambridgeshire (PE16 6SA)

Closes on Friday 29 May 2026

Posted on 12 February 2026

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Summary

This apprenticeship is aimed at people who wish to gain experience and qualifications in engineering through practical and theoretical skills and work based activities. Over the 4 year programme you will gain and develop skills in both CNC and manual machining, fitting and hand tools, fabrication/welding, inspection, production engineering.

Wage

£16,640 a year

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Training course
Machining technician (level 3)
Hours
Years 1 & 2: Monday to Thursday 8.00am - 4.30pm (lunch break 12.30pm - 1.00pm), Friday 8.00am - 12.30pm. Years 3 - 5: Monday to Thursday 7.30am - 4.30pm (lunch break 12.30 - 1.00pm), Friday, 7.30am-12.30pm.

36 hours a week

Start date

Monday 7 September 2026

Duration

5 years

Positions available

3

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

  • Year 1 - Based in Metalcraft training school & West Suffolk College (NCTC) gaining skills in machining, fitting and hand tools, fabrication, welding
  • Year 2 - Specific training in core areas to develop skills - manual and CNC machining, fabrication, welding, inspection, product engineering
  • Year 3 - More focus on skilled techniques developing skills in a workshop environment
  • Year 4 - Working towards becoming a fully skilled operator, and improving competence in a workshop environment
  • Year 5 - Improver year to fine-tune skills learned

Where you'll work

Chatteris Engineering Works
15 Honeysome Road
Chatteris
Cambridgeshire
PE16 6SA

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

Machining technician (level 3)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents
  • Comply with statutory health and safety regulations and procedures.
  • Comply with environmental, ethical and sustainability regulations and procedures: safe disposal of waste, re-cycling or re-use of materials and efficient use of resources.
  • Prepare and set up conventional or CNC machines.
  • Operate and adjust conventional or CNC machines.
  • Apply risk assessment and hazard identification processes and procedures in the work area.
  • Monitor, obtain and check stock and supplies, and complete stock returns.
  • Record information - paper based or electronic. For example, energy usage, 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.
  • Read and interpret information. For example, data and documentation used to produce machined components.
  • Apply engineering, mathematical and scientific principles.
  • Plan and organise own work and resources.
  • Follow and apply inspection, quality assurance procedures and processes.
  • Select machining process.
  • Select and setup tooling and work holding devices.
  • Set and adjust machine operating parameters. For example, setting feeds and speeds for roughing and finishing operations, loading, proving and validating programs when using a CNC machine tool.
  • Apply machining operations and techniques to produce complex components with features. For example, parallel; stepped; angular diameters and faces; grooves; slots; recesses and undercuts; radii and chamfers; internal and external forms and profiles; reamed; bored; drilled and electro eroded holes; internal and external screw threads.
  • Measure and check components.
  • Select and check condition of tools and equipment. Identify issues, resolve and take action as needed.
  • Identify and action issues in the manufacturing process.
  • Apply fault-finding and diagnostic testing procedures to identify faults. Diagnose and resolve issues. Escalate issues.
  • Maintain the work area and return any resources and consumables.
  • Communicate with others verbally. For example, colleagues and stakeholders.
  • Follow machine shut down, safe isolation, handover, start up or warm up procedures. Escalate issues.
  • Apply continuous improvement techniques. Devise suggestions for improvement.
  • Apply ethical principles.
  • Apply team working principles.
  • Comply with statutory health and safety regulations and procedures.
  • Comply with environmental, ethical and sustainability regulations and procedures: safe disposal of waste, re-cycling or re-use of materials and efficient use of resources.
  • Prepare and set up conventional or CNC machines.
  • Operate and adjust conventional or CNC machines.
  • Apply risk assessment and hazard identification processes and procedures in the work area.
  • Monitor, obtain and check stock and supplies, and complete stock returns.
  • Record information - paper based or electronic. For example, energy usage, 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.
  • Read and interpret information. For example, data and documentation used to produce machined components.
  • Apply engineering, mathematical and scientific principles.
  • Plan and organise own work and resources.
  • Follow and apply inspection, quality assurance procedures and processes.
  • Select machining process.
  • Select and setup tooling and work holding devices.
  • Set and adjust machine operating parameters. For example, setting feeds and speeds for roughing and finishing operations, loading, proving and validating programs when using a CNC machine tool.
  • Apply machining operations and techniques to produce complex components with features. For example, parallel; stepped; angular diameters and faces; grooves; slots; recesses and undercuts; radii and chamfers; internal and external forms and profiles; reamed; bored; drilled and electro eroded holes; internal and external screw threads.
  • Measure and check components.
  • Select and check condition of tools and equipment. Identify issues, resolve and take action as needed.
  • Identify and action issues in the manufacturing process.
  • Apply fault-finding and diagnostic testing procedures to identify faults. Diagnose and resolve issues. Escalate issues.
  • Maintain the work area and return any resources and consumables.
  • Communicate with others verbally. For example, colleagues and stakeholders.
  • Follow machine shut down, safe isolation, handover, start up or warm up procedures. Escalate issues.
  • Apply continuous improvement techniques. Devise suggestions for improvement.
  • Apply ethical principles.
  • Apply team working principles.

Training schedule

  • Qualifcation gained: Level 3 standard qualification (A level)
  • Training will be carried out by West suffolk College at the North Cambs Training Centre located next to Metalcraft's site
  • Training will be on a day release basis

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English language (grade 5)
  • Mathematics (grade 5)

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

Science (grade 5)

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
  • Problem solving skills
  • Number skills
  • Team working

About this employer

Stainless Metalcraft manufacture equipment for some of the world’s most hazardous environments. Our broad expertise spans pressure vessels, vacuum vessels and cryogenic vessels for safety critical applications across, among others, sectors such as medical, research, big science, power generation, nuclear, oil & gas, petrochemical & water. Metalcraft has received many awards including the Queens Award for Enterprise in 2020 and the Princess Royal training award in 2020 and 2023

http://www.metalcraft.co.uk (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

Salary sacrifice pension scheme

Death in service

After this apprenticeship

  • Apprentices can progress their career in any area of the business, whether this be shopfloor based (ie: team leader, etc) or office based roles
  • Many Metalcraft apprentices go on to further study ie: HNC and join our Engineering, inspection departments, etc.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

WEST SUFFOLK COLLEGE

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000015303.

Apply now

Closes on Friday 29 May 2026