Summary
Our engineers are problem solvers who ensure that all production runs smoothly and that Bakkavor delivers to its customers - would you like to join us? If you have a knack for problem-solving with a methodical mind, then our Advanced Apprenticeship in Engineering is an ideal opportunity to launch you into a rewarding career.
Wage
£22,000 a year
Increasing to: £28,000 in year 2, £34,000 in year 3 and £40,000 in year 4
Training course
Food and drink maintenance engineer (level 3)
Hours
Monday- Friday, 8.30am- 5.00pm initially. Apprentices will move onto the site engineering pattern in the future.
37 hours 30 minutes a week
Start date
Tuesday 1 September 2026
Duration
4 years
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
* Maintain machinery and equipment and find and resolve faults to optimise production levels
* Conduct planned and predictive maintenance to prevent issues from occurring, as well as reactive maintenance, responding to breakdowns
* Contribute to the installation and decommissioning of equipment
* Work as part of a team or alone, depending on the task
* On a daily basis, you will interact with other technicians and engineers, as well as with operational and site teams, and colleagues from Technical, Development, Finance & Planning
* You will get involved in technical performance reviews and continuous improvement activities
* You will learn how to employ engineering practices that ensure food safety in line with food safety legislation, keeping machinery and equipment running to meet production needs and outputs
* You will ensure that our practices comply with food safety, health and safety, environmental, sustainability, and engineering regulations and standards, as well as taking account business operation considerations such as cost and service level agreements
Where you'll work
Bakkavor Meals Sutton Bridge
Langley Park, Chalk Lane
Sutton Bridge
Lincolnshire
PE12 9YF
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
BIRMINGHAM METROPOLITAN 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
* Food and Drink Maintenance Engineer Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard which includes a Diploma in food and drink engineering maintenance
* Functional Skills in maths and English, if required
This is a 3 x 6-week training block every academic year. Accommodation, food and travel are paid for by the company. Everyone gets individual secure accommodation and safeguarding measures are in place.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
* English + 3 others (grade A* - C or 9 - 4)
* Maths (grade A* - C or 9 - 5)
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
* Logical
* Team working
* Initiative