Mechanical Engineering Apprentice

British Sugar is a home-grown success story and one of the most efficient and competitive beet processers in the world. Around 3,500 farmers based in East Anglia and the East Midlands supply our four advanced manufacturing sites with eight million tonnes of sugar beet every year. We, in turn, make this in to over 1 million tonnes of sugar, serving customers across the UK, Ireland and increasingly growing commercially in the EU and world sugar markets.

In this apprenticeship you will follow a Mechanical pathway, learning the science behind how we produce sugar and how we design, analyse, manufacture, and maintain our mechanical and electrical equipment and highly automated programmable control systems. This includes learning a broad range of mechanical areas including pumps, gearboxes, pipework, bearings as well as learning some electrical biased subjects such as, valves, actuators, isolation and high voltage distribution.

A 42-month programme, following the Maintenance and Operations Engineering Standard, achieving a Level 3 Maintenance and Operations Engineering qualification and all the practical experience alongside to be ready to move into a Mechanical Technician role.

During your scheme, you will be working from our Bury St Edmunds, Newark and Wissington factory sites, 5-days a week, Monday-Friday, 8 hours each day and attending college 1 day per week. When you move into a Mechanical Technician role you may then need to work a 12-hour shift pattern of 4 days at work and then 4 days not at work. This includes working some weekends and bank holidays.

The scheme gives you the opportunity to:

• Gain a solid knowledge of maintenance and operational practices, processes and procedures covering a range of plant and equipment.
• Knowledge and understanding of engineering theories and principles.
• Understand the systems and procedures to work safely and efficiently.
• Develop behavioural skills to be a great team member.

What will you need?

• Be aged 16 and over
• Be living and eligible to work in the UK
• Have achieved or predicted a minimum of 5 GCSEs (or equivalent) at Level 4/C which must include Maths, English and a Science
• To be able to travel to attend college 1 day a week
• Live our values of staying safe, drive to action, working together, respecting each other and being open and flexible

Application Closing Date: 29th March 2024

British Sugar is committed to creating an environment where everyone can thrive, within a culture of inclusion; a culture that empowers and respects everyone.