Apprentice Metallurgist - Melt
SHEFFIELD FORGEMASTERS ENGINEERING LIMITED
South Yorkshire (S9 2RW)
Closes in 23 days (Tuesday 10 March 2026)
Posted on 13 February 2026
Contents
Summary
The purpose of this apprenticeship is to develop as a technically capable and confident support specialist for the Melt Shop, providing process, quality and technical guidance across all stages of steelmaking—from reviewing customer specifications to the despatch of ingots and liquid steel.
- Wage
-
£18,700.50 a year
- Training course
- Materials science technologist (degree) (level 6)
- Hours
-
Monday to Friday 7:45am till 4pm, may inlcude some evenings depending on production
37 hours 30 minutes a week
- Start date
-
Monday 24 August 2026
- Duration
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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
Working closely with the Technical Director (Melting), in this role you will help ensure the production of high-quality steel grades by developing clean-steel practices, supporting process improvements, and offering informed technical direction to production and maintenance teams. Through hands-on experience and structured training, the apprentice will contribute to technical excellence, operational reliability and continuous improvement within the steelmaking process.
You’ll be supporting the Technical Director (Melting) with day-to-day technical and process activities in the Melt Shop, ensuring steelmaking processes meet customer specifications and issuing technical instructions to guide production teams. The role involves helping sales and accounts teams with costing process routes, contributing to the development and improvement of standard process instructions, and monitoring melt shop quality by analysing process data. You’ll investigate customer complaints, work with RD&T to support resolutions, and collaborate with the Quality Manager to assess supplier materials and performance.
You’ll also work closely with production and maintenance teams to track plant efficiency, identify improvements and support the development of clean steel practices. A flexible presence on the plant is required, particularly during the production of high-integrity products. Overall, you’ll play an active role in driving continuous improvement across steelmaking operations and developing processes that consistently meet customer requirements.
Where you'll work
PO BOX 286
Brightside Lane
Sheffield
South Yorkshire
S9 2RW
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
Materials science technologist (degree) (level 6)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Utilise cognitive and practical skills in conjunction with adaptability and versatility in technical support both in-house and to clients to improve manufacturing processes, problem solving, innovation, and scale up formulations.
- Determine and use industry standard and emerging digital technologies and data analysis tools to complete work activities and address problems that are ill defined or involve numerous interacting factors.
- Critically evaluate actions, methodologies, and results and their implications in analysing materials against parameters in product specifications.
- Conduct and interpret failure analysis of engineering components using relevant methodologies and systems such as but not limited to, for example, microscopy, macroscopy, and chemical analysis.
- Write clear and succinct technical and analytical reports.
- Research, adapt and test new technologies through materials characterisation feedback.
- Interpret, develop and implement UK and international materials standards, procedures and specifications across a range of operations and contexts.
- Maintain a working knowledge of a range of project management and financial management techniques to complete projects relevant to their discipline.
- Utilise emotional intelligence and identify a range of supervisory, management, and leadership skills in developing the ability to mentor, direct or lead teams or individuals.
- Communicate effectively with colleagues and stakeholders using the appropriate language register both verbally and in writing.
- Utilise cognitive and practical skills in conjunction with adaptability and versatility in technical support both in-house and to clients to improve manufacturing processes, problem solving, innovation, and scale up formulations.
- Determine and use industry standard and emerging digital technologies and data analysis tools to complete work activities and address problems that are ill defined or involve numerous interacting factors.
- Critically evaluate actions, methodologies, and results and their implications in analysing materials against parameters in product specifications.
- Conduct and interpret failure analysis of engineering components using relevant methodologies and systems such as but not limited to, for example, microscopy, macroscopy, and chemical analysis.
- Write clear and succinct technical and analytical reports.
- Research, adapt and test new technologies through materials characterisation feedback.
- Interpret, develop and implement UK and international materials standards, procedures and specifications across a range of operations and contexts.
- Maintain a working knowledge of a range of project management and financial management techniques to complete projects relevant to their discipline.
- Utilise emotional intelligence and identify a range of supervisory, management, and leadership skills in developing the ability to mentor, direct or lead teams or individuals.
- Communicate effectively with colleagues and stakeholders using the appropriate language register both verbally and in writing.
Training schedule
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
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
- Reliable
- Enthusiastic
- Eager to learn
- Positive attitude
- Time management
- Self-motivated
Other requirements
Gain standard security clearance including a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
Pass a pre-placement medical with our onsite occupational health department.
About this employer
We manufacture some of the world’s largest steel castings and forgings, ranging from 1 to 350 tonnes. You don’t need to be a metallurgist expert to know that is really big and really heavy! When it comes to steel production anything that’s heavy and technically complex is where we add real value to our customers. We produce a wide range of products for mills and presses, nuclear, defence, power generation, offshore oil and gas and materials processing industries. It is this diversity of products that allows us to offer a number of different opportunities across our business. Check out our website for more information and images of the exciting work we do here. We have a long and established history within Sheffield spanning over 170 years…. In 2021 we were acquired by the Ministry of Defence (MOD). This has given our business a new focus, marking an exciting and monumental time for our future. We have also secured over £400m of new investment over the next 10 years to support our defence-critical assets, including plans for a new heavy forge line and building, a flood alleviation scheme and major machine tool replacements. There really is no better time to join us!
After this apprenticeship
Upon successful completion of the apprenticeship and competency review it would be expected the individual would move into a full time role.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
SHEFFIELD HALLAM UNIVERSITY
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000015439.
Apply now
Closes in 23 days (Tuesday 10 March 2026)
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.