Waterside Training in partnership with AB World Foods based at Leigh has five fantastic opportunities for apprentices to join their production team to support the manufacturing operations as Manufacturing Technician Apprentices. Fully employed while completing a Level 3 Science Manufacturing Technician qualification.
The advertised Apprentice wage will increase yearly or upon completion of progressive stages. Apprentices have fantastic future prospects within ABWF and the wider ABF group. After qualifying you could go on to supervisory roles or senior management.
Training course: Process industry manufacturing technician (level 3).
Hours: Waterside Hours 1st Years: 8.45am - 4.30pm, Monday - Friday. AB World Foods Site Hours; will vary depending on shift patterns. This shift pattern in the later stages of your apprenticeship will involve morning, afternoon, and evening shifts.
37 hours 30 minutes a week.
Duration: 3 years.
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
As a Technician, you will cover roles within the Paste, Pappadum, and Sauce teams with the aim to understand and gain experience in each of the core roles of Sauce/Paste Batching Technician, Sauce Filling Technician, and Pappadum Extrusion Technician within the factory.
The three-year programme has an exciting, blended learning approach of in-the-classroom and on-the-job training right at the heart of an enormous global manufacturing operation. You will cover broad-based training and grounding in Electrical and Mechanical skills alongside maintenance, lean manufacturing, and business improvement techniques at Waterside Training in St Helens, with years 2/3 working on plant at Leigh alongside qualified technicians tackling “real life” activities.
The apprenticeship will be targeted at the Technician role, reporting to the Team Leaders, with the aim for the apprentice to understand each of the core roles and also gain experience of the support roles within the factory and the Paste, Pappadum, and Sauce teams.
* Operating key pieces of equipment on the line working on highly automated plant and equipment. Technicians are at the heart of the manufacturing and business processes; without this key role, no product would be developed or produced.
* You will support the manufacturing process by working within a team to carry out preparation, start-up, operation, and close down including product changeovers and handovers.
* Completing regular quality and process control checks.
All tasks must be completed in a manner to achieve the safe, hygienic, efficient, and best-cost manufacture of all designated products to the required quality, specification, and quantity.
* You must also be proactive towards Health & Safety within the Safe System of Work and engage with our continuous improvement agenda working within our quality parameters to ensure good quality output.
* Carrying out analytical tests during production and making any necessary adjustments to machine settings or products to meet agreed quality standards.
To be a Technician, you need to have a good understanding of engineering techniques to be able to resolve problems with machinery and or production processes.
* Being proactive to Health and Safety working within defined safe systems of work, improving health and safety, and demonstrating the correct behaviours and reporting unsafe acts.
* You will engage with the continuous improvement agenda seeking out new opportunities to take an active role in all CI activities working to set standards in an FMCG facility to control and set machinery.
* You will work towards total Quality Assurance by ensuring all hygiene tasks are carried out and maintained in a clean and tidy state, proactively report pest control issues, and manage process quality parameters to ensure good quality output.
Where you’ll work
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
College or training organisation
ST HELENS COLLEGE
Your training course
Process industry manufacturing technician (level 3) - Equal to A level.
Your training plan
Apprentices will complete a programme of both theoretical and practical learning over a three-year period. Initially, based at Waterside Training undertaking broad-based training during year 1 in Electrical and Mechanical techniques alongside Lean Manufacturing and Business Improvement techniques before moving to a programme of working on site for a global organisation with experienced production technicians tackling “real life” activities.
You will receive both vocational and academic training on and off site. To be a Manufacturing Technician, you need to have a good understanding of engineering techniques to be able to resolve problems with machinery and or production processes.
During the first year from September 2025 to July 2026, you will develop your skills and knowledge by attending Waterside Training Limited (WA9 1TW) on a block release basis to carry out foundation training in Electrical and Mechanical techniques working from 8:45am to 4:30pm.
Your academic training will run over the first two years from September 2025 to July 2027 on City & Guilds Diploma in Engineering. Additional training will also be completed during your apprenticeship to cover the requirements of the programme such as Health & Safety Training, Lean Manufacturing, and or specific training as advised by the company.
From July 2026, you will commence your full site-based training with AB World Foods based at Leigh spending 4 days per week with day release to continue your academic training throughout years 2 and 3. Your site-based work will follow the Level 3 Science Manufacturing Technician, and you will continue to attend your company site for the remainder of your apprenticeship programme.
Whilst on site, dependent on the company, you may work a shift pattern involving morning, afternoon, and night shifts with fixed holidays and bank holidays.
Waterside will assign you a mentor/assessor to guide you through the apprenticeship and carry out six weekly reviews along with guiding you through your standards through portfolio building, technical discussions, and observations to check competency levels prior to embarking on the End Point Assessment.
You will achieve a Level 3 Science Manufacturing Technician qualification over the 3 years of your apprenticeship.
Requirements
GCSE or equivalent in:
* Maths (grade 4)
* 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
* Logical
* Initiative
* Time Management
Other requirements
This would be a three-year apprenticeship programme. This programme may contain a shift pattern in the latter stages of your apprenticeship involving morning, afternoon, and evening shifts. Site Hours; will vary depending on the company shift patterns. Waterside Training Hours; 8:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. Year 1 will be based at Waterside, St Helens, with years 2 and 3 at AB World Foods. You will need to be able to travel to both Waterside and your site base to carry out specific off-the-job and on-the-job training.
About this company
AB World Foods are a UK producer and global distributor of ethnic foods, dealing with all the major multiples. A flavour producer, we produce Indian sauces, pastes, and pappadums in a modern, high-speed, and high-volume facility utilising cutting-edge technologies. AB World Foods, primarily known as Pataks, based at Leigh, produce a wide range of products, primarily under the Pataks brand creating authentic sauces, pickles, chutney, and pappadums delivering great branded flavours for consumers across the world; whether it's a Patak's authentic curry, a Blue Dragon stir-fry, or a Levi Roots Reggae Reggae sauce.
The advertised Apprentice wage will increase yearly or upon completion of progressive stages. Apprentices have fantastic future prospects within ABWF and the wider ABF group. Possibility of progressing onto a Level 4 qualification (or further) subject to agreed performance criteria. After qualifying you could go on to supervisory roles or senior management.
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
ST HELENS COLLEGE
mlewis@waterside-training.co.uk
01744616837
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000308352.
Apply now
Closes on Friday 30 May 2025.
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After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.
Company’s application instructions
Apply direct through Waterside Training Ltd Website and our team will contact you to explain the next stages of the recruitment process.
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