Summary
This apprenticeship is designed for individuals looking for a career as a Food and Drink Maintenance Engineer. As part of this apprenticeship, you will gain core industry knowledge, including key principles of quality management systems and processes, best practice maintenance approaches and techniques and fault-finding techniques.
Wage
£22,500 a year
Starting salary of c. £22,500 per year with an annual increment dependent of successful progression through the apprenticeship programme and performance in the job role.
Training course
Food and drink maintenance engineer (level 3)
Hours
You will be working typically, 07:00-15:30 when working onsite and attending college 09:00-17:00 during block release.
39 hours a week
Start date
Monday 1 September 2025
Duration
3 years 6 months
Positions available
4
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
* Demonstrating an ability to learn and be practically capable in electrical installation, electrical maintenance, electrical testing and PLCs
* Becoming proficient in the application and use of a wide range of machine tools including turning and milling
* Carrying out planned work including preventative maintenance and calibrations
* Attending breakdown repairs
* Completing installation and improvements to the plant
* Working in a safe manner and adhering to Good Manufacturing Practice
* Contributing to the site Engineering Team's objectives of effectively reducing manufacturing downtime through maintaining equipment, improving efficiencies and working toward safety and food quality standards
* Getting broad exposure to different areas of food manufacturing mechanical and electrical maintenance and improvements
Where you’ll work
Claylands Avenue
Worksop
S81 7AY
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
College or training organisation
KIRKLEES 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
You will be studying towards either the Level 3 Food & Drink Engineering Maintenance Standard as well as supporting training and qualifications.
Block release to college.
The final year will involve completion of a portfolio and preparation for End Point Assessment (EPA). This measures the skills, knowledge and behaviours outlined in the standard and is carried out by ESFA-approved organisations independent from the college.
Apprentices without Level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this prior to taking the End Point Assessment.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
* English (grade 4 / C or above)
* Maths (grade 4 / C or above)
* One more GCSE (grade 4 / C or above)
* Science (grade 4 / C or above)
Desirable qualifications
GCSE in:
* Computing (grade 4 / C or above)
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
* Team working
* Initiative
* Technical Ability
* Attention to Detail
* Ability to Work Independently