Factory QA apprentice
J L PRIESTLEY & CO LTD
Sleaford (NG34 9NF)
Closes in 18 days (Friday 14 August 2026 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 22 July 2026
Contents
Summary
This newly created apprentice role will support the factory with both quality control and auditing. If you are methodical and have good attention to detail, this role could be for you. The successful candidate will work and play a key role in a small team helping to ensure our products meet the high demands of our customers.
- Wage
-
£23,132 a year
Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
The apprenticeship is 15 months with the preferred option for the candidate to carry to progress to a Process Leader Apprenticeship qualification after.
- Training course
- Quality practitioner (level 4)
- Hours
-
Monday to Friday. Working hours typically 8am – 4pm or 9am – 5pm.
35 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 14 September 2026
- Duration
-
1 year 3 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
- Analysing foreign matter that occurs naturally with the ingredients we process
- Recording a variety of data on spreadsheets
- Sample collecting and testing
- Daily checks to ensure production is at the right standard
- Coaching and mentoring from the Factory Manager
- Helping to shape the future of the quality function at the factory
- Assisting with NPD process / checks and measures / small batch through to end production
- Manage transfer documentation between sites
- Assist with works order documentation
- Support sales team with customer sales samples
- Provide support for technical department when required
Where you'll work
Station Road
Heckington
Sleaford
NG34 9NF
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
UNIVERSITY OF LINCOLN
Training course
Quality practitioner (level 4)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Identify, interpret and apply relevant legal, governmental or industry regulations affecting the organisation.
- Communicate using appropriate methods (verbal, written, visual) to influence internal and external stakeholders, using appropriate questioning techniques such as open questions, leading questions.
- Identify, collect and analyse relevant quality data using appropriate tools and techniques such as Pareto analysis, statistical methods and trending analysis.
- Apply methods and tools to improve the quality performance of processes, products and services such as production control plans, standardised work, use of failure modes and effects.
- Identify, analyse and prioritise quality specific risks and opportunities. Support the development, implementation and effectiveness of resulting actions.
- Plan and conduct system, product or process audits.
- Assess the effectiveness of the measurement systems using tool such as Measurement Systems Analysis.
- Identify requirements from technical documents, commercial input or stakeholder statements and converting to definitions that can drive the organisations processes
- Identify gaps in process performance and develop improvement plans to close gaps.
- Apply structured problem solving including identification, definition, measurement, analysis, improvement and control methods and tools.
- Communicate organisational quality strategy to all levels of the organisation.
- Identify who the internal and external stakeholders are and their current and optimal positions (such as hostile, help it work, opposed, uncooperative, indifferent, hesitant, enthusiastic support) required to support quality related activities.
- Identify, interpret and apply relevant legal, governmental or industry regulations affecting the organisation.
- Communicate using appropriate methods (verbal, written, visual) to influence internal and external stakeholders, using appropriate questioning techniques such as open questions, leading questions.
- Identify, collect and analyse relevant quality data using appropriate tools and techniques such as Pareto analysis, statistical methods and trending analysis.
- Apply methods and tools to improve the quality performance of processes, products and services such as production control plans, standardised work, use of failure modes and effects.
- Identify, analyse and prioritise quality specific risks and opportunities. Support the development, implementation and effectiveness of resulting actions.
- Plan and conduct system, product or process audits.
- Assess the effectiveness of the measurement systems using tool such as Measurement Systems Analysis.
- Identify requirements from technical documents, commercial input or stakeholder statements and converting to definitions that can drive the organisations processes
- Identify gaps in process performance and develop improvement plans to close gaps.
- Apply structured problem solving including identification, definition, measurement, analysis, improvement and control methods and tools.
- Communicate organisational quality strategy to all levels of the organisation.
- Identify who the internal and external stakeholders are and their current and optimal positions (such as hostile, help it work, opposed, uncooperative, indifferent, hesitant, enthusiastic support) required to support quality related activities.
Training schedule
The apprenticeship course will start on Wednesday 7th October, the programme will be delivered fully online by National Centre for Food Manufacturing (University of Lincoln).
Requirements
Desirable qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade C/4)
- Maths (grade C/4)
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
- Administrative skills
- Analytical skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Creative
- Initiative
About this employer
Established in 1974, J L Priestley & Co Ltd has proudly operated as a premier family-owned business for over 50 years, cementing its reputation as a leading supplier of high-quality dehydrated food ingredients. Based in Lincolnshire, the company specialises in sourcing, processing and distributing dried vegetables, fruits, herbs, and spices. Underscoring our uncompromised focus on food safety, we hold a prestigious BRC AA+ accreditation, the highest standard for operational excellence and quality management. Thanks to the rigorous commitment to compliance and our extensive technical expertise, J L Priestley has earned the trust of the nation's favourite food manufacturing companies, serving as a foundational partner in the production of everyday consumer food brands.
The board of director are committed to developing the business, investing in new technologies and people to grow and explore new markets. The successful candidate will be joining the business at an exciting time.
After this apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
The apprenticeship is 15 months with the preferred option for the candidate progress to a Process Leader Apprenticeship qualification after.
We are ideally looking for a person who would like to progress with the JLP business, with this apprenticeship serving as their starting point. There will be opportunities within the wider business to progress to a supervision role, and ultimately into a management position. There will be opportunities within the wider business to progress to management level subject to meeting agreed criteria.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
UNIVERSITY OF LINCOLN
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000043541.
Apply now
Closes in 18 days (Friday 14 August 2026 at 11:59pm)