Summary
We offer a full engineering apprenticeship where you’ll learn from experienced shift engineers and gain skills in electrics, hydraulics, welding, water recycling and more. You may also train to drive forklift trucks. We’re looking for motivated individuals with a passion for engineering and the drive to grow into key team members.
Wage
£21,862.75 a year
Training course
Food and drink maintenance engineer (level 3)
Hours
Year 1 - Monday - Friday 8.00am - 4.30pm hours. Year 2 and onwards - 4 on, 4 off rolling shift, 6.00am - 6.00pm hours. Year 1 - 38.75 hours per week. Year 2 and onwards - 39.25 hours per week.
39 hours a week
Start date
Monday 7 September 2026
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
* To assist with the day to day running of a busy food factory
* To report directly to engineering management team
* To shadow shift engineers attending breakdowns, assisting with resolving issues
* To carry out planned preventative maintenance on a variety of equipment
* Use the companies MMP system and log completed tasks on the system
* Complete colleague work ensuing this remains up to date and completed to a good standard
Where you'll work
Kirton Holme
Boston
PE20 1TT
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
BOSTON COLLEGE
Training course
Food and drink maintenance engineer (level 3)
What you'll learn
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.
Training schedule
The Food and Drink Maintenance Engineer Advanced Apprenticeship Level 3 will take you approximately 4 years to complete. You will attend college for 1 day per week at our Rochford Campus in Boston. You will also attend your Apprenticeship with your Employer for 4 days per week.
Requirements
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
* Communication skills
* Attention to detail
* Problem solving skills
* Team working
* Initiative
* Physical fitness
* •Motivated
* keen to learn
Other requirements
Work can sometimes be heavy and dirty so you must be prepared for this and willing to get involved.