Description
Location: 4 Stapledon Road, Orton Southgate, Peterborough, PE2 6TB
Start Date: March 2026
Working for Safapac
Safapac is a leading, family-owned, contract manufacturer and packer of chemicals, operating from a purpose-built facility in Peterborough, UK. This site is fully equipped to provide a range of services, including liquid blending, bead milling, filtration, heating, handling of toxic & flammable materials.
In addition to its vast range of technology and specialist manufacturing capabilities, Safapac also offer a wide variety of packing services. These include liquid packing, repacking, labelling, batch coding, nitrogen purging, induction sealing and packing to meet a retail scale. Established in 1996 and highly qualified, Safapac prides itself on the quality, integrity and traceability of all its products, formulating and packing them to the highest standards and continuously striving to gain new industry approvals.
The Package
* Starting salary of £28,080/year
* 33 days annual leave plus bank holidays
* Workings hours are 37.5 hours per week
* Company pension scheme (5% employee / 4% employer)
* Overtime available
* 3x Life cover/Death in service
* Regular training and CPD opportunities
What will I be doing as an apprentice?
The Process Industry Manufacturing Technician Apprentice will work as part of the manufacturing team to support safe, efficient and high-quality production operations. This hands-on role provides structured training and development in manufacturing processes, quality control, health and safety, and teamwork, while contributing to day-to-day operations on the manufacturing floor. The apprentice will develop technical competence, professional behaviours and an understanding of continuous improvement within a regulated manufacturing environment.
Summary of duties:
* Carry out manufacturing activities including adding materials to vessels, transferring product, monitoring mills, disposing of packaging, and cleaning plant and equipment.
* Support the set-up and operation of manufacturing equipment under supervision.
* Complete effective shift handovers, clearly communicating progress, issues and priorities.
* Perform in-process quality checks and record results using barcode scanners, PLC tablets or other systems.
* Ensure formulations and finished products meet specification and GMP standards.
* Accurately record materials information, including arrival weights, usage and returns.
* Monitor equipment performance and escalate issues to Manufacturing or Engineering teams as required.
* Follow all site health, safety and environmental procedures, including Safapac Golden Rules, COSHH, COMAH and manual handling requirements.
* Use PPE correctly and report hazards, near misses or incidents promptly and accurately.
* Maintain high housekeeping standards to ensure safe, clean and organised production areas.
* Work collaboratively with Manufacturing Chemists, laboratory staff and packing teams.
* Support task rotations, workflow efficiency and cover breaks as required.
* Enter confined spaces where required, following training and medical clearance.
* Complete all required apprenticeship, safety and role-specific training.
* Demonstrate flexibility by working across different lines, products, shifts and customer requirements.
* Contribute to continuous improvement activities and use downtime productively.
Please note - This is a very physical role involving heavy lifting and other forms of manual labour. Due to Health & Safety regulations, you must also be 18+.
What could the future look like?
When you join Safapac the possibilities for your success are limitless. As a successful applicant, you have the potential to secure a full-time position within the company at the conclusion of your apprenticeship.
Through practical training on the job, you will acquire new skills and gain the competence and responsibility required for manufacturing and process operations.
Skills, Knowledge, and Experience
About You
You are a motivated and reliable individual with a genuine interest in manufacturing and process operations. You are keen to learn new skills and develop your technical knowledge through a structured Level 3 apprenticeship while contributing positively to the day-to-day running of the manufacturing area.
You understand the importance of working safely and following procedures, and you take a responsible approach to health, safety, quality and environmental standards. You pay close attention to detail, take pride in producing work to a high standard, and recognise the importance of Good Manufacturing Practice within a regulated environment.
You work well as part of a team, communicate clearly with colleagues, and demonstrate a professional and positive attitude at work. You are dependable, punctual and prepared, and you understand the importance of consistent attendance and reliability in a production environment.
You are flexible and adaptable, with the willingness to work across different manufacturing lines, products and shift patterns as required by the business. You are comfortable working in a hands-on, physically active role on the manufacturing floor and are committed to taking ownership of your personal development, completing all required training and continuously improving your skills.
Experience
We value attitude, curiosity, and commitment just as much as past experience. While previous manufacturing experience can be helpful, it’s not essential — we welcome applicants from all backgrounds, especially those with a genuine interest in the field and the motivation to build a career.
You might be a school or college leaver, or someone looking to retrain. Either way, if you’re enthusiastic, proactive, and ready to learn, you’ll fit right in.
Qualifications
It’s about enthusiasm, not school results. In our experience the most successful apprentices are those who are driven to find out more about the sector, can be up front about what they do and don’t already know, are considerate, self-reflective, and impatient to learn the job role!
So how does the apprenticeship work?
Over 22 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 Process Industry Manufacturing Technician apprenticeship.
You’ll be trained by an expert tutor from Tiro as well as an experienced mentor at Safapac 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!
Future Career Pathways
This apprenticeship programme serves as a stepping stone towards a rewarding career in process manufacturing, with the added opportunity for the apprentice to become a registered Science or Engineering Technician (RSci/Eng Tech).
This apprenticeship offers opportunities for professional growth, enabling you to specialise in areas such as process optimisation, quality control, or maintenance, and to progress into supervisory or leadership roles within the manufacturing environment.
Eligibility
While we never want to hinder your job application process with obstacles, there are some minimum requirements you’ll need to meet in order to do an apprenticeship, these are rules set by the UK Government.
As a training provider, we are committed to ensuring that our apprenticeship programs deliver significant new knowledge and skills. To be eligible, applicants must demonstrate that the program will provide learning and experiences beyond their current qualifications and professional expertise.
If you already hold a Level 3, degree or equivalent higher-level qualification in a closely related field, or possess substantial relevant experience, you may not be eligible for apprenticeship funding, as these programmes are designed for individuals who require upskilling or reskilling in their chosen career pathway.
You’ll need to be over 16, not in full time education, have lived in the UK for 3 years and have the right to work in the UK.
If you don’t quite meet these minimum requirements yet, let us know you’re interested here and we’ll get in touch to discuss this further with you.
We’re Tiro (pronounced Tea-ro — white, two sugars).
In Latin, it means novice, recruit, apprentice, beginner, and soldier — the perfect name for a company that’s been helping fearless apprentices join ambitious businesses since 2005.
We believe great apprenticeships help everyone. There are remarkable apprentices out there just waiting to be found, and fantastic employers waiting to nurture them.
We’re proud to help connect the two — supporting industries that make, test, and innovate; from polymer manufacturing and materials science to sustainable engineering and advanced technology.
At Tiro, we make great things happen for people.
And that starts with you.