Summary
No two days are ever the same with Aggregate Industries. You’ll not only spend time between testing on site and testing in the lab, but you’ll also visit and work at several locations nearby - a great opportunity to meet others to aid professional progression and skill sharing.
Wage
£18,500 a year
Training course
Laboratory technician (level 3)
Hours
Monday to Friday (variable shift pattern). Shifts to be confirmed.
40 hours a week
Possible start date
Tuesday 1 April
Duration
1 year 9 months
Positions available
1
Work
As an apprentice, you’ll work at a company and get hands-on experience. You’ll gain new skills and work alongside experienced staff.
What you’ll do at work
As an Apprentice Materials Technician, you’ll be working in a laboratory, but not as you know it! Be prepared to get mucky as you get to know your materials. This won’t be a sterile environment and requires someone who’s not afraid to get stuck in.
Working alongside some of our existing apprentices and fellow peers, you won’t be alone. You’ll be supported and guided, learning on the job as you go, by a team of other apprentices and experienced materials technicians. Being an apprentice is hands-on, so you’ll get the chance to learn things you might otherwise not have experienced in a university or college environment.
As a member of Aggregate Industries laboratory team, you’ll push construction materials to their limits, ensuring that they’re safe and reliable to use. These materials will need to exist for many years to come without expensive maintenance, without damaging the structure and without endangering human life.
What you’ll be doing:
* Working alongside other team members, testing the properties of construction materials including concrete, aggregates, and asphalt
* Improving the performance of existing products, to eliminate faults with materials already in use
* Helping bring materials testing in the 21st century using new technologies (e.g. Switching over to automated processes, new ergonomic equipment or even new recording and reporting systems)
* Developing an understanding, knowledge and practical methods used to examine materials, including non-destructive testing (NDT)
* Following testing methods to ensure safety and quality and to support the lab in maintaining its accreditation to operate
* Travelling to and from sites, collecting materials to be tested
Through training and development provided, you’ll work towards excellence in the following areas:
* Undertake 21-month apprenticeship to Level 3
* Ensure all work is undertaken safely in accordance with required processes
* Undertake testing of materials including aggregates, concrete, and asphalt in accordance with required standards, in the laboratory and on construction sites
* Comply with the high standards of work required by the Quality Management Systems to required deadlines
* Maintain equipment to required standards as required by the Laboratory Manager
* Proactively communicate with senior staff to ensure effective communication
* Attend training courses and assessments as required by the apprenticeship standard and maintaining training records
Where you’ll work
Chaddock Lane
Astley
Tyldesley
Greater Manchester
M29 7JU
Training
An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.
College or training organisation
TIRO TRAINING LTD
Your training course
Laboratory technician (level 3)
Equal to A level
Course contents
* Comply with health and safety policies and procedures including HASWA, COSHH, risk assessments, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), manual handling, emergency procedures.
* Maintain excellent housekeeping, in accordance with organisation Standard Procedures
* Order and control stocks of laboratory materials where required
* Identify, organise and use resources effectively to complete tasks applying the concepts of resource efficiency e.g energy, water and waste
* Adhere to internal and external regulatory requirements e.g. GLP, GMP, GDP
* Prepare for, and perform, laboratory experiments, tests or tasks following any specified methodologies to provide reliable, accurate data e.g. weighing, pipetting, filtering, spectroscopic techniques, chromatography techniques
* Demonstrate technical competence in the use of specified instruments and equipment
* Report faults and seek diagnostic advice to maintain equipment in good working order, including calibration where required
* Complete documentation proficiently
* Keep accurate records of laboratory work undertaken and results
* Contribute to the preparation of reports.
* Use simple statistical techniques for data presentation and evaluation e. g calculation of median and standard deviation, production of graphs
* Demonstrate problem solving techniques including identification of sources of error and how they can be reduced e.g. human error
* Use standard software packages and applications e.g. Microsoft Office suite
* Use Laboratory Information Management systems to support their work
* Address non-routine problems with samples and instrumentation, within defined areas
* Identify relevant information from scientific sources e.g. supervisors, literature etc. in order to contribute to solutions
* Participate in continuous performance improvement of systems and processes relevant to the work environment e.g. workplace organisation techniques, accreditation (e.g. ISO, UKAS) and proficiency testing.
* Evaluate data, recognise and call attention to anomalous or unusual results
* Comply with health and safety policies and procedures including HASWA, COSHH, risk assessments, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), manual handling, emergency procedures.
* Maintain excellent housekeeping, in accordance with organisation Standard Procedures
* Order and control stocks of laboratory materials where required
* Identify, organise and use resources effectively to complete tasks applying the concepts of resource efficiency e.g energy, water and waste
* Adhere to internal and external regulatory requirements e.g. GLP, GMP, GDP
* Prepare for, and perform, laboratory experiments, tests or tasks following any specified methodologies to provide reliable, accurate data e.g. weighing, pipetting, filtering, spectroscopic techniques, chromatography techniques
* Demonstrate technical competence in the use of specified instruments and equipment
* Report faults and seek diagnostic advice to maintain equipment in good working order, including calibration where required
* Complete documentation proficiently
* Keep accurate records of laboratory work undertaken and results
* Contribute to the preparation of reports.
* Use simple statistical techniques for data presentation and evaluation e. g calculation of median and standard deviation, production of graphs
* Demonstrate problem solving techniques including identification of sources of error and how they can be reduced e.g. human error
* Use standard software packages and applications e.g. Microsoft Office suite
* Use Laboratory Information Management systems to support their work
* Address non-routine problems with samples and instrumentation, within defined areas
* Identify relevant information from scientific sources e.g. supervisors, literature etc. in order to contribute to solutions
* Participate in continuous performance improvement of systems and processes relevant to the work environment e.g. workplace organisation techniques, accreditation (e.g. ISO, UKAS) and proficiency testing.
* Evaluate data, recognise and call attention to anomalous or unusual results
Your training plan
At Tiro we’re obsessed with changing lives through science and technology apprenticeships so we can’t wait to have you on board.
Over 21 months, you’ll devote a minimum of 6 hours of your working week on ‘off the job’ training. This can include theory training (for example, virtual lessons & online learning), alongside practical training (for example shadowing, mentoring, & time spent writing assignments. Together this will count towards a Level 3 Laboratory Technician apprenticeship, including Functional Skills in English and maths if required. You’ll be trained by an expert tutor from Tiro as well as an experienced mentor at Aggregate Industries who together, will make sure you develop the knowledge, skills, and work habits you’ll need to succeed in your career.
Being an apprentice is hands-on, so you’ll get the chance to learn things you might otherwise not have experienced in a university or college environment.
The best part? You’ll be earning a salary while you gain your qualifications, meaning no huge student loans to pay back at the end of the programme!
Requirements
Desirable qualifications
GCSE in:
* Maths, English and Science (grade 4)
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
* Problem solving skills
* Logical
* Team working
* Initiative
* Patience