Maintenance Machinist Apprentice

Summary

To learn the following aspects of machining – Milling, turning, drilling and surface grinding to support maintenance, manufacturing engineering and office-based engineers.

Wage

£16,224 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

Training course

Machining technician (level 3)

Hours

Monday - Thursday: 07:45 to 17:00. Friday - 07:45 to 12:45.

39 hours a week

Start date

Monday 14 September 2026

Duration

3 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

• Working with the Maintenance Machinist on a wide range of machining projects from machine repairs to new tooling.
• Carrying out risk assessments.
• Use barcode readers.
• Look after maintenance machinery by carrying out routine cleaning and inspections.
• Work with a manufacturing engineer to produce tool blanks.
• Work with the office engineering department to produce 1 off samples and test and development fittings
• Dealing with contractors

Where you'll work

EAST PORTWAY
ANDOVER
HAMPSHIRE
SP10 3LH

Training

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

Training provider

BASINGSTOKE COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY

Training course

Machining technician (level 3)

What you'll learn

• Comply with statutory health and safety regulations and procedures.
• Comply with environmental, ethical and sustainability regulations and procedures: safe disposal of waste, re-cycling or re-use of materials and efficient use of resources.
• Prepare and set up conventional or CNC machines.
• Operate and adjust conventional or CNC machines.
• Apply risk assessment and hazard identification processes and procedures in the work area.
• Monitor, obtain and check stock and supplies, and complete stock returns.
• Record information - paper based or electronic. For example, energy usage, job sheets, risk assessments, equipment service records, test results, handover documents and manufacturers' documentation, asset management records, work sheets, checklists, waste environmental records and any legal reporting requirements.
• Read and interpret information. For example, data and documentation used to produce machined components.
• Apply engineering, mathematical and scientific principles.
• Plan and organise own work and resources.
• Follow and apply inspection, quality assurance procedures and processes.
• Select machining process.
• Select and setup tooling and work holding devices.
• Set and adjust machine operating parameters. For example, setting feeds and speeds for roughing and finishing operations, loading, proving and validating programs when using a CNC machine tool.
• Apply machining operations and techniques to produce complex components with features. For example, parallel; stepped; angular diameters and faces; grooves; slots; recesses and undercuts; radii and chamfers; internal and external forms and profiles; reamed; bored; drilled and electro eroded holes; internal and external screw threads.
• Measure and check components.
• Select and check condition of tools and equipment. Identify issues, resolve and take action as needed.
• Identify and action issues in the manufacturing process.
• Apply fault-finding and diagnostic testing procedures to identify faults. Diagnose and resolve issues. Escalate issues.
• Maintain the work area and return any resources and consumables.
• Communicate with others verbally. For example, colleagues and stakeholders.
• Follow machine shut down, safe isolation, handover, start up or warm up procedures. Escalate issues.
• Apply continuous improvement techniques. Devise suggestions for improvement.
• Apply ethical principles.
• Apply team working principles.
• Comply with statutory health and safety regulations and procedures.
• Comply with environmental, ethical and sustainability regulations and procedures: safe disposal of waste, re-cycling or re-use of materials and efficient use of resources.
• Prepare and set up conventional or CNC machines.
• Operate and adjust conventional or CNC machines.
• Apply risk assessment and hazard identification processes and procedures in the work area.
• Monitor, obtain and check stock and supplies, and complete stock returns.
• Record information - paper based or electronic. For example, energy usage, job sheets, risk assessments, equipment service records, test results, handover documents and manufacturers' documentation, asset management records, work sheets, checklists, waste environmental records and any legal reporting requirements.
• Read and interpret information. For example, data and documentation used to produce machined components.
• Apply engineering, mathematical and scientific principles.
• Plan and organise own work and resources.
• Follow and apply inspection, quality assurance procedures and processes.
• Select machining process.
• Select and setup tooling and work holding devices.
• Set and adjust machine operating parameters. For example, setting feeds and speeds for roughing and finishing operations, loading, proving and validating programs when using a CNC machine tool.
• Apply machining operations and techniques to produce complex components with features. For example, parallel; stepped; angular diameters and faces; grooves; slots; recesses and undercuts; radii and chamfers; internal and external forms and profiles; reamed; bored; drilled and electro eroded holes; internal and external screw threads.
• Measure and check components.
• Select and check condition of tools and equipment. Identify issues, resolve and take action as needed.
• Identify and action issues in the manufacturing process.
• Apply fault-finding and diagnostic testing procedures to identify faults. Diagnose and resolve issues. Escalate issues.
• Maintain the work area and return any resources and consumables.
• Communicate with others verbally. For example, colleagues and stakeholders.
• Follow machine shut down, safe isolation, handover, start up or warm up procedures. Escalate issues.
• Apply continuous improvement techniques. Devise suggestions for improvement.
• Apply ethical principles.
• Apply team working principles.

Training schedule

Training will take place at Basingstoke College of Technology 1 day per week.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

• English (grade Level 4/Grade C)
• Maths (grade Level 4/Grade C)
• Science (grade Level 4/Grade C)

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

Skills

• IT skills
• Customer care skills
• Positive attitude
• Reliable

Other requirements

• Happy to work in a team or on their own
• Positive attitude, can-do approach and reliable
• Some lifting required
• Has an interest in engineering and maintaining/fixing mechanical items such as cars, bikes, drones etc
• May require occasional driving to customers/suppliers