Summary
Are you curious about how everyday plastic products are made? Ready to dive into the world of engineering and manufacturing? As an Apprentice Process Engineer, you’ll be at the heart of our injection-moulding operations, gaining hands-on experience and learning directly from seasoned professionals.
Wage
£14,526.20 to £23,492.04, depending on your age
National Minimum Wage
£7.55ph – Year 1 £8.99ph – Year 2 £10.59ph – Year 3 £12.31ph – Year 4
Training course
Polymer processing technician (level 3)
Hours
TBC.
37 hours a week
Start date
Wednesday 15 October 2025
Duration
3 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
* Get involved in live production trials – help set up and validate injection-moulding processes and New Product Introductions (NPIs)
* Become a data detective – collect and analyse key performance metrics like cycle times, scrap rates, and downtime using Excel or Power BI to uncover insights
* Support the experts – assist tool technicians with tool changeovers and help the toolroom team carry out preventive maintenance checks using industry best practices like SMED, 5S, and TPM
* Solve real problems – collaborate on root-cause investigations for product rejects and machine alarms, helping to improve reliability and reduce waste
* Create clarity – help document Standard Operating Procedures and digital work instructions to ensure consistency and efficiency across the team
* Drive improvement – take part in Kaizen events and continuous-improvement workshops, where your ideas can help shape smarter, faster processes
Where you'll work
Whs Plastics Pickering Ltd
Westgate Carr Road
Pickering
North Yorkshire
YO18 8LX
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
THE S&A TRANSFORM GROUP LIMITED
Training course
Polymer processing technician (level 3)
What you'll learn
Course contents
* Review instructions or information. For example, work instructions, sampling requirements, drawings dimensioning, labelling, formulations, machine settings.
* Plan task and identify and organise resources with consideration for safety, environmental impact, security, quality and cost.
* Identify and document hazards and risks in the workplace.
* Apply health, safety, and environmental procedures in compliance with regulations and standards. For example, daily machine checks, wearing personal protective equipment.
* Apply sustainability principles for example, in choice of materials, minimising waste.
* Segregate resources for reuse, recycling, and handling.
* Select, check, and prepare materials for polymer processing for example, weighing, control and blending, and conditioning.
* Select, configure (for example, replace or change inserts) and check mould tools, formers, dies or other process equipment.
* Check installation and function of processing equipment for the process.
* Connect service connections such as water, electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic.
* Check hand tools, equipment and machinery including calibration record where applicable.
* Set or check machine settings using instructions such as temperature, pressure, speed or time, distance.
* Adjust machine setting for the speeds, positions, pressures and safety of the mould tool, former or die movement to meet product specification.
* Start up manufacturing processes.
* Monitor process feedback and adjust process parameters.
* Shut down manufacturing processes.
* Devise machine settings such as temperature, pressure, speed or time, distance for new or modified equipment, tooling or material.
* Test and evaluate machine settings for new or modified equipment, tooling or material.
* Select and apply optimal machine settings for new or modified equipment, tooling or material (for example, capability study).
* Interpret data for example, process data, quality control and test procedure data. Use data to inform action.
* Identify process faults and resolve.
* Apply post processing techniques for example, assembly, printing, decorating, cooling operations, packing, and labelling.
* Follow quality assurance processes during manufacture.
* Perform quality control checks. For example, conduct parameter checks (size, colour, weight), and take samples.
* Identify quality issues and resolve for example, defects, maintenance requirements.
* Escalate issues outside limits of responsibility.
* Apply preventative maintenance practices. For example, checking guarding, lubrication, cleaning of tooling, safety checks, and inspection for wear and tear.
* Apply continuous improvement techniques. Devise suggestions for improvement. For example, improving the effectiveness of existing production, improving the energy consumption or waste profile of processes and procedures to improve the sustainability or carbon footprint of a product, process or task.
* Apply team working principles.
* Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
* Record or enter information - paper based or electronic. For example, process and production records, traceability records, and quality assurance records.
* Present information.
* Communicate in written form in the workplace for example, handover notes or emails, non-conformances, design change requests, technical reports.
* Use information and digital technology. Comply with GDPR and cyber security regulations and policies.
* Plan how to meet personal development needs. Carry out and record planned and unplanned continued professional development (CPD) activities. Evaluate CPD against plans made.
* Review instructions or information. For example, work instructions, sampling requirements, drawings dimensioning, labelling, formulations, machine settings.
* Plan task and identify and organise resources with consideration for safety, environmental impact, security, quality and cost.
* Identify and document hazards and risks in the workplace.
* Apply health, safety, and environmental procedures in compliance with regulations and standards. For example, daily machine checks, wearing personal protective equipment.
* Apply sustainability principles for example, in choice of materials, minimising waste.
* Segregate resources for reuse, recycling, and handling.
* Select, check, and prepare materials for polymer processing for example, weighing, control and blending, and conditioning.
* Select, configure (for example, replace or change inserts) and check mould tools, formers, dies or other process equipment.
* Check installation and function of processing equipment for the process.
* Connect service connections such as water, electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic.
* Check hand tools, equipment and machinery including calibration record where applicable.
* Set or check machine settings using instructions such as temperature, pressure, speed or time, distance.
* Adjust machine setting for the speeds, positions, pressures and safety of the mould tool, former or die movement to meet product specification.
* Start up manufacturing processes.
* Monitor process feedback and adjust process parameters.
* Shut down manufacturing processes.
* Devise machine settings such as temperature, pressure, speed or time, distance for new or modified equipment, tooling or material.
* Test and evaluate machine settings for new or modified equipment, tooling or material.
* Select and apply optimal machine settings for new or modified equipment, tooling or material (for example, capability study).
* Interpret data for example, process data, quality control and test procedure data. Use data to inform action.
* Identify process faults and resolve.
* Apply post processing techniques for example, assembly, printing, decorating, cooling operations, packing, and labelling.
* Follow quality assurance processes during manufacture.
* Perform quality control checks. For example, conduct parameter checks (size, colour, weight), and take samples.
* Identify quality issues and resolve for example, defects, maintenance requirements.
* Escalate issues outside limits of responsibility.
* Apply preventative maintenance practices. For example, checking guarding, lubrication, cleaning of tooling, safety checks, and inspection for wear and tear.
* Apply continuous improvement techniques. Devise suggestions for improvement. For example, improving the effectiveness of existing production, improving the energy consumption or waste profile of processes and procedures to improve the sustainability or carbon footprint of a product, process or task.
* Apply team working principles.
* Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
* Record or enter information - paper based or electronic. For example, process and production records, traceability records, and quality assurance records.
* Present information.
* Communicate in written form in the workplace for example, handover notes or emails, non-conformances, design change requests, technical reports.
* Use information and digital technology. Comply with GDPR and cyber security regulations and policies.
* Plan how to meet personal development needs. Carry out and record planned and unplanned continued professional development (CPD) activities. Evaluate CPD against plans made.
Training schedule
This training schedule has not been finalised. Check with this employer if you’ll need to travel to a college or training location for this apprenticeship.
Requirements
Desirable qualifications
GCSE in:
* Maths (grade 4)
* Science (grade 4)
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
* Team working
* Initiative