Apprentice Engineering & Manufacturing Support Technician
PICKERING INTERFACES LIMITED
Essex (CO15 4NL)
Closes in 24 days (Saturday 8 August 2026)
Posted on 14 July 2026
Contents
Summary
The role involves operating, maintaining, and supporting production machinery, including equipment used within the winding room and across manufacturing lines. The apprentice will also support the introduction of newly developed machines and processes into production and assist with troubleshooting and continuous improvement activities.
- Wage
-
£15,600 to £24,784.50, depending on your age
National Minimum Wage
Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
- Life Insurance x4 your annual salary
- Company Pension
- Training course
- Engineering and manufacturing support technician (level 3)
- Hours
-
Monday to Friday, 8.00am - 4.00pm, with a 30 minute unpaid lunch and two 15 minute paid breaks.
37 hours 30 minutes a week
- Start date
-
Monday 7 September 2026
- Duration
-
3 years 6 months
- 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
Key Responsibilities
- Support the operation and maintenance of manufacturing equipment used in production
- Maintain equipment across the production line, including welder calibration, dehumidifier maintenance, air plumbing systems, and production floor layout adjustments
- Support with machine setting and operation
- Assist production teams where required to meet manufacturing demands
- Learn and understand the operation of all production machinery to support troubleshooting and fault finding
- Support the introduction of new machinery and processes into manufacturing
- Build duplicate production machines from engineering schematics and drawings once designs have been approved and validated
- Test and evaluate new manufacturing processes and techniques, providing feedback to engineering teams
- Develop and maintain process instructions and manufacturing documentation
- Use measurement tools and inspection equipment to verify components, tooling, and assemblies meet specification requirements
- Support quality inspection and testing activities
- Follow all company health, safety, and quality procedures
Departmental Training & Development Exposure
- Hardware Engineering – Build simple electronic circuits and develop understanding of basic electronics and PCB assemblies
- Mechanical Engineering – Design simple mechanical parts/components and use CAD and 3D printing technology
- Stores & Materials Control – Goods-in inspection, kit picking, stock control systems and VSS operation
- SMT (Surface Mount Technology) – Programming pick-and-place machines, ODB and BOM collation, SMT component recognition, screen printing operations, paste application theory, machine setup and operation, AOI, and vapour phase soldering
- Production Assembly – Use of production documentation, BOMs, through-hole component insertion, relay assembly, wave soldering, hand soldering, wire preparation, crimping, and swash machine operation
- Inspection & Quality – Roving inspection, continuity checking, and final inspection processes
- Test Engineering – Product testing procedures and understanding of production test methods and equipment
Where you'll work
Pickering Stephenson Road
Clacton-On-Sea
Essex
CO15 4NL
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
COLCHESTER INSTITUTE
Training course
Engineering and manufacturing support technician (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Follow health and safety regulations, standards, and guidance.
- Follow procedures in line with environmental and sustainability regulations, standards, and guidance. For example, segregation of resources for reuse, recycling and disposal.
- Comply with engineering standards and regulations. For example, British Standards (BS), International Organisation for Standardisation standards (ISO). European Norm (EN).
- Analyse engineering and manufacturing data and information to support technical outputs. For example, read and interpret text, data, engineering drawings, work instructions, method statements, operation manuals.
- Apply scientific, technical or engineering principles.
- Apply problem solving techniques to solutions for identified technical problems.
- Organise, plan and prioritise workflow and scheduling of work with stakeholders.
- Identify, organise and use resources to complete tasks, considering cost, quality, safety, security and environmental impact.
- Produce job specific technical outputs. For example, engineering drawings, quality control management, computer control programming, business improvement, adverse incident reports, technical investigations, equipment appraisals and specifications.
- Provide support and guidance for handover of work to stakeholders. For example, checklists, product or process status, access to supporting documents.
- Record information - paper based or electronic. For example, energy usage, equipment service records, test results, handover documents, checklists.
- Follow standard operating procedures.
- Follow manufacturer's instructions. For example, safe instructions for use of products, processes and machinery.
- Apply quality assurance and control principles and practices. For example, conduct physical checks, take samples, inspections or tests.
- Apply continuous improvement techniques.
- Apply team working principles.
- Communicate in writing with others for example, stakeholders, colleagues, and managers.
- Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
- Use information and digital technology. Comply with GDPR and cyber security regulations and policies.
- Carry out and record learning and development activities.
- Apply equity, diversity and inclusion procedures.
- Follow health and safety regulations, standards, and guidance.
- Follow procedures in line with environmental and sustainability regulations, standards, and guidance. For example, segregation of resources for reuse, recycling and disposal.
- Comply with engineering standards and regulations. For example, British Standards (BS), International Organisation for Standardisation standards (ISO). European Norm (EN).
- Analyse engineering and manufacturing data and information to support technical outputs. For example, read and interpret text, data, engineering drawings, work instructions, method statements, operation manuals.
- Apply scientific, technical or engineering principles.
- Apply problem solving techniques to solutions for identified technical problems.
- Organise, plan and prioritise workflow and scheduling of work with stakeholders.
- Identify, organise and use resources to complete tasks, considering cost, quality, safety, security and environmental impact.
- Produce job specific technical outputs. For example, engineering drawings, quality control management, computer control programming, business improvement, adverse incident reports, technical investigations, equipment appraisals and specifications.
- Provide support and guidance for handover of work to stakeholders. For example, checklists, product or process status, access to supporting documents.
- Record information - paper based or electronic. For example, energy usage, equipment service records, test results, handover documents, checklists.
- Follow standard operating procedures.
- Follow manufacturer's instructions. For example, safe instructions for use of products, processes and machinery.
- Apply quality assurance and control principles and practices. For example, conduct physical checks, take samples, inspections or tests.
- Apply continuous improvement techniques.
- Apply team working principles.
- Communicate in writing with others for example, stakeholders, colleagues, and managers.
- Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
- Use information and digital technology. Comply with GDPR and cyber security regulations and policies.
- Carry out and record learning and development activities.
- Apply equity, diversity and inclusion procedures.
Training schedule
- The apprentice will be working towards the Level 3 Engineering and Manufacturing Support Technician Apprenticeship Standard
- Qualifications include the EAL Level 3 Diploma in Engineering and manufacturing support technologies
More training information
- This is a 4-year apprenticeship with college attendance required one day per week
- All college attendance will be at Colchester Institute at our Colchester Campus one day per week
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE 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
- Problem solving skills
- Analytical skills
- Team working
- A good sense of humour
- Curious about engineering
- Keen to learn and develop
- Practical/hands on skills
- Reliable
- Committed
- Interest in product design
Other requirements
More staff benefits:
- Buying and selling holiday - employees can buy up to 10 days (eligibility applies)
- An induction program, including a "Pickering Apprentice Pal" being assigned to you to ensure you feel welcome and to check in on you during your probationary period
- Employee wellbeing/mental health support through Mind
- Spa Medical Wellbeing Program
- EAP with Spark – Digital health & wellbeing (L&G)
- Regular company social events (filled with lots of laughter and fun!
Other things to consider:
- There will be opportunity to travel to our offices in the Czech Republic for the right candidate, and long term possibly to our other overseas offices
About this employer
Pickering Interfaces is a global leader in the design and manufacture of modular signal switching, simulation and connectivity solutions for electronic test and verification. Headquartered in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, with sales, support and manufacturing operations across Europe, North America and Asia, we have been innovating in test and measurement technology for over 35 years as part of the Pickering Group, whose heritage dates back to 1968. Currently we have approximately 600 employees worldwide. Our products are used by leading organisations in aerospace, automotive, defence, energy, medical and semiconductor industries worldwide, and we pride ourselves on combining engineering excellence with a supportive, customer-focused culture.
http://www.pickeringtest.com (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
- 25 days annual leave, plus bank holidays
- Corporate membership at the local gym and spa
- Money towards eye testing and glasses
- Amazing Coffee and other refreshments & fruit available
After this apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
Within Pickering there are possible career routes into Engineering, Test, R&D, Product Management or Customer Service.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
COLCHESTER INSTITUTE
Colchester Institute - Apprenticeships Team
ci.apprenticeships@colchester.ac.uk
01206712043
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000042469.
Apply now
Closes in 24 days (Saturday 8 August 2026)
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.