Higher Apprenticeship - Mineral Products Technician

Summary

Do you want to gain operational, technical, financial and commercial skills alongside academic studies? Our higher apprenticeship programme is designed to develop future careers in a practical environment. Duties will include supporting the site manager with the day-to-day running of the site.

Wage

£25,084 a year

Benefits package includes access to an online employee discount platform, generous pension contributions, cycle to work scheme , life assurance, childcare vouchers, annual salary review, bonus schemes ( subject to terms and conditions)

Training course

Mineral products technician (level 5)

Hours

Monday to Friday, between 8am and 5pm, with one hour unpaid for lunch.

40 hours a week

Start date

Tuesday 14 September 2027

Duration

2 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

You will learn something new every day supported by a team of motivated people. As a trusted member of the team, you will gain experience in all activities of the site, developing skills and achieving learning aims so that you can support managers to operate the site effectively by the end of your programme.  Experience will be gained in all activities from health and safety procedures through to maintenance, technical, quality control and asphalt production.

Duties will include (but not be limited to):

• Aiding in achieving optimum production output in line with commercial activity at the lowest sustainable operational cost whilst continually advancing operational improvements to increase efficiency with good management of the production functions
• Proactively proving high personal standards of safety behaviour, and monitoring the performance of the workplace through ‘Near Hit’ reporting and safety ‘Conversation’ processes
• Aiding in the management of mobile plant and machinery to ensure efficient running of plants to achieve outputs including., Regular Inspection, managing breakdown situations, preventative maintenance

Where you'll work

You can select which locations you want to apply for in your application on Find an apprenticeship.

This apprenticeship is available in these locations:

• The Ridge, Chipping Sodbury, Bristol, BS37 6AY
• Knutsford Way, Sealand Industrial Estate, Chester, CH1 4NS
• Padeswood Works, Chester Road, Mold, CH7 4HB
• Meadow Lane, St. Ives, PE27 4LG

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

UNIVERSITY OF DERBY

Training course

Mineral products technician (level 5)

What you'll learn

Course contents

• Work competently, safely and manage risks in accordance with HSE regulations.
• Apply their knowledge of health and safety hazards, major hazards, environmental aspects and risks associated with the operation in order to train others to conduct full risk assessments, license to operate procedures and be able to fully investigate and evaluate health, safety and environmental accidents and incidents, report findings and implement improvements.
• Use their knowledge of emergency response processes and procedures to deal with emergency situations and ensure that in these circumstances the site is evacuated, secured and made safe as swiftly as possible.
• Recommend and support improvements to environmental, health and safety culture, procedures, process and systems across the operation.
• Obtain, evaluate and use information from the teams across the site to take critical operational decisions. This could include information on a range of matters such as the products, the equipment and the staffing levels.
• Utilise communications technology for performing and supporting the business processes including, communications, work co-ordination, task analysis and problem solving.
• Ensure that operational systems are adhered to by all employees in accordance with quality control plans and procedures.
• Use appropriate Personal Protective Equipment in order to meet employers and regulatory health and safety requirements.
• Apply root cause analysis
• Use the principles of predictive and preventative maintenance of all mineral products equipment in order to minimise downtime and costs.
• Develop & write technical reports that meet business requirements including the optimisation and continuous improvement of processes and services
• Maximise the use of the resources, maximise products from raw materials, ensuring sustainability of resources.
• Provide technical knowledge transfer to colleagues and continuous improvements in line with business requirements.
• Optimise processes & products re: cost and performance in line with budget requirements.
• Communicate all relevant information with the operational team, customers and all stakeholders by email, handheld radio, phone and face to face to keep them up to date with site production issues, ensuring information is passed clearly and promptly.
• Plan and implement plans for work activities and projects.
• Monitoring trends, interpreting results and making adjustments in production.
• Use knowledge of the local communities, official bodies and other stakeholders associated with Mineral Products and their interests in the industry to liaise and engage with them to ensure positive working relationships are established, minimising disputes.
• Ensure safe and effective utilisations of mineral extraction equipment and resources by following standard operating procedures and/or site rules.
• Maximise operational and resource efficiency in a mineral extraction environment, in accordance with the quarry/mine plan.
• Plans processes to win and extract mineral in a safe, efficient and environmentally sensitive manner applying blasting, digging or cutting techniques.
• Plan to use, select and utilise face loading machines, dumptrucks, conveyor systems, processing and benefication equipment by planning material flow and matching equipment.
• Use and apply the the quarry/mine plan to assess environmental impact, planning constraints, site restoration and the wider sustainability agenda.
• Achieve and verify product quality meets both European Standards and customer specifications and optimizes the production process to achieve these in a cost effective manner and whilst maintaining end use applications.
• Ensures all test equipment is maintained, used correctly and calibrated, retains appropriate records. Interprets all test results for accuracy, retesting as required, and taking appropriate actions and communications if results fall outside of specifications.
• Conduct the full range of legislative and procedural inspections required in the quarry, processing plant and associated locations, record, document findings and take appropriate action. For inspections conducted by specialist third parties – can interpret, prioritize and action the recommendations.
• Planning work activities and production schedule with customer requirements."
• Sampling and testing of concrete products to the relevant European standards.
• Monitoring trends, interpreting results and making adjustments in concrete mix designs.
• Management of product constituents to include secondary, alternative and recycled materials.
• Demonstration of the selection and appropriate use of reinforcement materials in concrete applications.
• Planning the selection and utilisation of fresh concrete delivery systems by planning material flow and matching equipment.
• Able to apply different concrete batching techniques in the manufacture of concrete products.
• Undertaking of assessment, inspection and development of suitable repair strategies for existing concrete structures.
• Planning work activities and production schedule with customer and trend requirements.
• Managing risks specific to high energy and cost production processes.
• Sampling, testing and reporting of Cement, Lime and Cementitious products to the relevant European standards.
• Sampling, testing and reporting of incoming and intermediary materials supporting the adjustments in the cement manufacturing process.
• Planning the selection and utilisation of milling, grinding and blending equipment by planning process flow and matching equipment
• Demonstrate an understanding of the selection and use of different fuel types in order to maximise thermal efficiencies and minimise environmental impacts.
• Planning the selection and utilisation of Cement, Lime and Cementitious Products delivery systems.
• Planning work activities, production schedules, transport and delivery in line with customer requirements.
• Sampling source materials, bitumens and asphalt products.
• Defining different asphalt production processes and ancillary equipment to maximise production. Inspecting and optimising asphalt production plant and equipment.
• Inspecting and optimising laying and compaction plant and equipment.
• Managing risks to health and safety and the environment associated with the production, transport and laying of asphalt mixtures.
• Application and on going management of assets both in terms of production and laying equipment and in pavements, foundations, drainage, skid resistance, embankments, bridges and street furniture.
• Application of pavement design according to design speciications.
• Identifying pavement failure modes and subsequent remedial options.
• Application of specialist road surface treatments and sustainable recycled aggregates and recycling processes.
• Apply understanding of the nature and formation processes of clay deposits to the manufacture of heavy clay construction products to ensure product quality.
• Maximise operational and resource efficiency by using and understanding the quarry/clay pit plan in and minimising environmental impacts.
• Supervision of methods of extraction, transportation and stockpiling of clay raw materials to industry standards.
• Effective management of raw material processing in relation to the manufacturing operation.
• Recognise the influence of raw material properties in the selection of the appropriate clay forming equipment and drying processes.
• Appropriate selection and use of different surface texturing and colouring processes.
• Planning and control of the appropriate drying and firing cycles for the production process.
• Sampling, testing and reporting of intermediary and final clay products supporting the adjustments in the process.
• Work competently, safely and manage risks in accordance with HSE regulations.
• Apply their knowledge of health and safety hazards, major hazards, environmental aspects and risks associated with the operation in order to train others to conduct full risk assessments, license to operate procedures and be able to fully investigate and evaluate health, safety and environmental accidents and incidents, report findings and implement improvements.
• Use their knowledge of emergency response processes and procedures to deal with emergency situations and ensure that in these circumstances the site is evacuated, secured and made safe as swiftly as possible.
• Recommend and support improvements to environmental, health and safety culture, procedures, process and systems across the operation.
• Obtain, evaluate and use information from the teams across the site to take critical operational decisions. This could include information on a range of matters such as the products, the equipment and the staffing levels.
• Utilise communications technology for performing and supporting the business processes including, communications, work co-ordination, task analysis and problem solving.
• Ensure that operational systems are adhered to by all employees in accordance with quality control plans and procedures.
• Use appropriate Personal Protective Equipment in order to meet employers and regulatory health and safety requirements.
• Apply root cause analysis
• Use the principles of predictive and preventative maintenance of all mineral products equipment in order to minimise downtime and costs.
• Develop & write technical reports that meet business requirements including the optimisation and continuous improvement of processes and services
• Maximise the use of the resources, maximise products from raw materials, ensuring sustainability of resources.
• Provide technical knowledge transfer to colleagues and continuous improvements in line with business requirements.
• Optimise processes & products re: cost and performance in line with budget requirements.
• Communicate all relevant information with the operational team, customers and all stakeholders by email, handheld radio, phone and face to face to keep them up to date with site production issues, ensuring information is passed clearly and promptly.
• Plan and implement plans for work activities and projects.
• Monitoring trends, interpreting results and making adjustments in production.
• Use knowledge of the local communities, official bodies and other stakeholders associated with Mineral Products and their interests in the industry to liaise and engage with them to ensure positive working relationships are established, minimising disputes.

Training schedule

• You will 'earn while you learn' by completing a level 5 Higher Apprenticeship in Mineral Products Technology while working on a Heidelberg Materials site
• During the thirty-month programme you will gain experience and relevant qualifications in operational aspects of our business alongside blended learning, delivered by The University of Derby from which you will receive a Diploma
• You will be supported by your line manager, and assigned a mentor, as well as receiving first class training internally

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

5 subjects including Maths, English and Science (grade c or above)

A Level in:

STEM subject (grade Grades A-C Grade 80+ UCAS pts)

Other in:

UK Driving Licence (grade Full)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

• Communication skills
• Problem solving skills
• Team working
• Initiative

Other requirements

Due to the nature of our sites and the programme requirements a driver's licence is highly desirable - alternatively, please check public transport links. We will accept applicants who are in progress of achieving their licence. You must be willing and able to relocate at any stage during the programme to benefit from the opportunities on offer.