Apprentice Automation & Controls Engineering Technician
KRONES UK LIMITED
West Houghton (BL5 3XB)
Closes in 15 days (Friday 26 June 2026 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 10 June 2026
Contents
Summary
This role will involve you supporting Automation, Controls and Field Service Teams in delivering technical expertise across customers’ production environments. A hybrid role including office-based technical support, commissioning, diagnostics and optimisation of automation systems.
- Wage
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£16,640 to £26,436.80, depending on your age
National Minimum Wage
Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
£9.45 per hour – 40 hours – £378 per week if you are in your first year of an apprenticeship and over 19. This will increase in your second year to the next pay award depending on your age.
- Training course
- Automation and controls engineering technician (level 4)
- Hours
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8:30am to 17:00pm Monday to Friday Lunch break is 30 minutes.
40 hours a week
- Start date
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Monday 7 September 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
- Adhere to health and safety procedures.
- Assist with commissioning and testing of automation and control systems.
- Support diagnosis, troubleshooting and documentation of automation faults.
- Assist in maintenance, upgrades and optimisation of automated machinery.
- Provide remote and on-site technical support.
- Complete all apprenticeship training requirements with Wigan & Leigh College.
- Produce accurate service reports and documentation.
- Work in line with customer-specific procedures.
- Travel to customer sites using company vehicles.
Where you'll work
Westregen House
Great Bank Road
Wingates Industrial Park
West Houghton
BL5 3XB
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
WIGAN AND LEIGH COLLEGE
Training course
Automation and controls engineering technician (level 4)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Safety Effective - The ability to work safely in an industrial environment and where required, produce risk assessment and method statement documentation. Be able to apply the principles of functional machinery or process safety including SIL (Safety Integrated Level) and PL (Performance Level) terminology.
- Engineering documentation - Production and interpretation of a range of technical documentation (device manuals, operating procedures, schematics, fault reports etc), and working with company documentation systems.
- Project engineering capabilities - Support of installation, commissioning, shut-down, start-up and maintenance, service, or support of a wide range of systems and devices.
- Diagnostic capabilities - Fault finding, diagnosis, rectification and reporting of automation control systems and controls applications via the utilisation of formal problem solving methods and diagnostic tools or software.
- Instrumentation configuration and calibration - Set-up, calibrate and commission a wide variety of field level instrumentation that interfaces to automation and control systems
- Industrial Networks configuration and support - configure, assist commissioning and continued support of industrial network solutions at all hierarchical levels of control system integration using the requisite tools and or software.
- HMI and SCADA configuration and programming - Make changes to existing systems or implement new configurations.
- PLC or Robot configuration and programming - Implement complex PLC or Robot program content and configurations to affect changes to increase availability and or efficiency of automation controlled machinery and the ability to configure PLC and or Robot hardware and program a wide variety of PLC’s and or Robot’s.
- Safety Effective - The ability to work safely in an industrial environment and where required, produce risk assessment and method statement documentation. Be able to apply the principles of functional machinery or process safety including SIL (Safety Integrated Level) and PL (Performance Level) terminology.
- Engineering documentation - Production and interpretation of a range of technical documentation (device manuals, operating procedures, schematics, fault reports etc), and working with company documentation systems.
- Project engineering capabilities - Support of installation, commissioning, shut-down, start-up and maintenance, service, or support of a wide range of systems and devices.
- Diagnostic capabilities - Fault finding, diagnosis, rectification and reporting of automation control systems and controls applications via the utilisation of formal problem solving methods and diagnostic tools or software.
- Instrumentation configuration and calibration - Set-up, calibrate and commission a wide variety of field level instrumentation that interfaces to automation and control systems
- Industrial Networks configuration and support - configure, assist commissioning and continued support of industrial network solutions at all hierarchical levels of control system integration using the requisite tools and or software.
- HMI and SCADA configuration and programming - Make changes to existing systems or implement new configurations.
- PLC or Robot configuration and programming - Implement complex PLC or Robot program content and configurations to affect changes to increase availability and or efficiency of automation controlled machinery and the ability to configure PLC and or Robot hardware and program a wide variety of PLC’s and or Robot’s.
Training schedule
Training delivered with Wigan & Leigh College, including day‑release study, on‑the‑job training, e‑portfolio evidence, reviews and potential occasional technical training at Krones AG facilities in Germany.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade Grade 4 or higher)
- Maths (grade Grade 4 or higher)
A Level in:
T Level in:
BTEC 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
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Administrative skills
- Number skills
- Analytical skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Initiative
- Patience
- Interest in automation
- Problem-solving ability
- Strong communication skills
- Willingness to travel
- Committment to learning
- Committment to safety
Other requirements
- Must have completed a previously recognised apprenticeship at level 3 in a similar role.
- Experience of programming C++ is desirable
- Working away on site at customers facility.
- Requirement to have overnight stays away from home as when required.
- Clean driver’s license
- Have to complete IOSH managing/working safely & other external qualifications to meet customer and Krones
About this employer
Krones UK Bolton is part of the globally renowned Krones Group, a leader in manufacturing and engineering solutions for the beverage and liquid food industry. With a strong presence in the UK, the company supports major brands through innovative technology, excellent service, and a collaborative, professional working environment that encourages development and career growth.
After this apprenticeship
Progression to HND in Electronic and Electrical Systems Engineering in England.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
WIGAN AND LEIGH COLLEGE
Kerry Williams
K.williams@wigan-leigh.ac.uk
01942 761851
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000036503.
Apply now
Closes in 15 days (Friday 26 June 2026 at 11:59pm)