Summary
We're hiring Engineering Apprentices. Are you considering a career in Engineering? Want to earn while you learn? As an Engineering Apprentice at Yeo Valley, you will be working as part of a busy, dynamic Engineering team in a distinctive, ambitious, & trusted manufacturing company that is committed to making great British dairy & organic products.
Wage
£15,704 to £25,396.80, depending on your age
National Minimum Wage
Competitive holiday allowance, non-contributory pension scheme, life cover, healthcare cash back plan, cycle to work scheme, subsidised Yeo Valley products & services, preferential rates with our partners, and learning & development opportunities.
Training course
Food and drink maintenance engineer (level 3)
Hours
40 per week, Monday - Friday, with some flexibility required in the final year.
40 hours a week
Start date
Monday 7 July 2025
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
Tasks will vary day-to-day; you will be trained and entrusted to:
* Plan and prepare for maintenance of engineered systems in the food and drink industry.
* Perform first line routine mechanical maintenance, including removing and replacing components, cleaning, lubrication, inspection, and fault finding.
* Apply ‘best practice’ techniques, including condition monitoring and proactive maintenance.
* Produce replacement components, using manual and machine processes.
* Maintain fluid power systems.
* Weld stainless steel and other materials used in food production equipment.
* Perform first line electrical maintenance, including testing, fault finding, repairing, and replacing components.
* Commission and perform maintenance of instrumentation/process control systems.
* Perform maintenance of programmable control systems.
* Manage medium scale projects covering a variety of the skills outlined above.
Where you’ll work
Minerva Way
Brunel Road
Newton Abbot
Devon
TQ12 4PJ
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
College or training organisation
BRIDGWATER AND TAUNTON COLLEGE
Your training course
Food and drink maintenance engineer (level 3)
Equal to A level
Course contents
* Read and interpret task related information and data. For example, work instructions, SOPs, quality control documentation, Service Level Agreements, specifications, engineering representations, drawings, and graphical information, work instructions, and operation manuals.
* Plan work. Identify and organise resources to complete tasks.
* Identify hazards and control measures to mitigate risks.
* Comply with food safety regulations and procedures.
* Comply with health and safety regulations and procedures.
* Comply with environment and sustainability regulations and procedures: safe disposal of waste, re-cycling or re-use of materials and efficient use of resources.
* Select, check the condition, and safely use maintenance tools and equipment. Store tools and equipment. Complete or arrange maintenance of tools and equipment including calibration where required.
* Follow standard operating procedures and quality procedures.
* Follow site isolation and lock off procedures (lockout, tagout) and re-instatement of equipment with system checks and handover.
* Apply mechanical and fluid power system maintenance practices and techniques. For example, check levels, parts wear, pressure, and sensors, grease and lubricate parts, replace, fit components, and calibrate equipment.
* Apply electrical and control maintenance practices and techniques including use of electrical testing equipment and instruments. For example, panel risk assessment, fixed wire installation testing, fault finding, thermographic surveys, and checking protection settings.
* Apply reliability engineering techniques to prevent or reduce the likelihood or frequency of failures. For example, condition monitoring, oil sampling, thermography, vibration analysis, and ultrasound.
* Install and configure instrumentation or process control systems.
* Install and configure electrical systems. For example, add distribution boards to circuits, single and three phase motors (AC and DC).
* Assemble, position and fix equipment or components. Complete commissioning checks.
* Disconnect and remove equipment or components. Complete storage measures to prevent deterioration.
* Read and interpret equipment performance data.
* Fabricate, drill, and join to produce basic parts, spares or components to measurement and tolerance specification.
* Apply down-hand (flat) TIG welding techniques: butt and tee.
* Apply mathematical techniques to solve engineering problems.
* Produce and amend electrical and mechanical engineering representations, drawings, and graphical information. For example, for new component parts or change in circuit diagram or panel.
* Apply fault-finding and problem-solving techniques for example, using PLC data to diagnose issues and locate faults on industrial network.
* Apply continuous improvement techniques to understand current performance; collect and record data. Devise suggestions for improvement.
* Restore the work area on completion of activity.
* Resolve or escalate issues.
* Use information technology. For example, for document creation, communication, and information management. Comply with GDPR. Comply with cyber security.
* Record work activity. For example, asset management records, work sheets, checklists, waste environmental records, and any business or legal reporting requirements.
* Communicate verbal and written. For example, with colleagues and stakeholders. Use engineering terminology where appropriate.
* Produce reports for example, equipment performance reports.
* Provide guidance or training to colleagues or stakeholders.
* Read and interpret task related information and data. For example, work instructions, SOPs, quality control documentation, Service Level Agreements, specifications, engineering representations, drawings, and graphical information, work instructions, and operation manuals.
* Plan work. Identify and organise resources to complete tasks.
* Identify hazards and control measures to mitigate risks.
* Comply with food safety regulations and procedures.
* Comply with health and safety regulations and procedures.
* Comply with environment and sustainability regulations and procedures: safe disposal of waste, re-cycling or re-use of materials and efficient use of resources.
* Select, check the condition, and safely use maintenance tools and equipment. Store tools and equipment. Complete or arrange maintenance of tools and equipment including calibration where required.
* Follow standard operating procedures and quality procedures.
* Follow site isolation and lock off procedures (lockout, tagout) and re-instatement of equipment with system checks and handover.
* Apply mechanical and fluid power system maintenance practices and techniques. For example, check levels, parts wear, pressure, and sensors, grease and lubricate parts, replace, fit components, and calibrate equipment.
* Apply electrical and control maintenance practices and techniques including use of electrical testing equipment and instruments. For example, panel risk assessment, fixed wire installation testing, fault finding, thermographic surveys, and checking protection settings.
* Apply reliability engineering techniques to prevent or reduce the likelihood or frequency of failures. For example, condition monitoring, oil sampling, thermography, vibration analysis, and ultrasound.
* Install and configure instrumentation or process control systems.
* Install and configure electrical systems. For example, add distribution boards to circuits, single and three phase motors (AC and DC).
* Assemble, position and fix equipment or components. Complete commissioning checks.
* Disconnect and remove equipment or components. Complete storage measures to prevent deterioration.
* Read and interpret equipment performance data.
* Fabricate, drill, and join to produce basic parts, spares or components to measurement and tolerance specification.
* Apply down-hand (flat) TIG welding techniques: butt and tee.
* Apply mathematical techniques to solve engineering problems.
* Produce and amend electrical and mechanical engineering representations, drawings, and graphical information. For example, for new component parts or change in circuit diagram or panel.
* Apply fault-finding and problem-solving techniques for example, using PLC data to diagnose issues and locate faults on industrial network.
* Apply continuous improvement techniques to understand current performance; collect and record data. Devise suggestions for improvement.
* Restore the work area on completion of activity.
* Resolve or escalate issues.
* Use information technology. For example, for document creation, communication, and information management. Comply with GDPR. Comply with cyber security.
* Record work activity. For example, asset management records, work sheets, checklists, waste environmental records, and any business or legal reporting requirements.
* Communicate verbal and written. For example, with colleagues and stakeholders. Use engineering terminology where appropriate.
* Produce reports for example, equipment performance reports.
* Provide guidance or training to colleagues or stakeholders.
Your training plan
Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard - Food and Drink Maintenance Engineer:
* OAL Level 3 Diploma in Food and Drink Maintenance Engineering
* First Year: you will spend block term time at Bridgwater & Taunton College, Bridgwater Campus, and the rest of the time will be on site learning on the job at site.
* Second and Third Year: you will spend four days per week on site receiving in-house training and one day per week at college.
Following completion of the Level 3 modules you will complete an End Point Assessment with an external verifier.
* After you’ve successfully completed your apprenticeship, there is the opportunity to continue training and become a fully qualified Engineer.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
* English (grade Grade 4 or higher)
* Maths (grade Grade 4 or higher)
* Two other subjects (grade Grade 4 or higher)
Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.
Skills
* Communication skills
* Attention to detail
* Organisation skills
* Problem solving skills
* Logical
* Team working
* Patience
* Verbal and written English
* Strong numeracy skills
* Confident communication skills
* Logical thinking
* Good problem-solving skills
* Willingness to progress
* Excited by Engineering
Other requirements
There is the possibility of accommodation in the Yr 1, during the period of attending College. Confined spaces and working at height. Successful candidates will have their interviews conducted in June.