Operations Management Apprenticeship

Summary

Are you a college leaver looking to kick start your career, with the opportunity to work towards a fully funded degree? If so and you’re interested in operations management and the extractives industry we believe we have the perfect opportunity for you!

Wage

£23,795 a year

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Pension 25 days annual leave, plus bank holidays on top Share Saver Scheme Life Assurance Access to our employee benefits platform, giving you discounts on a wide variety of high street shops and brands

Training course

Mineral products technician (level 5)

Hours

Monday - Friday, 9.00am - 5.00pm. Once every 8 weeks, the apprentice will need to attend Derby University for study days on a Friday and Saturday. A day off will be given in the week in lieu.

40 hours a week

Possible start date

Monday 18 August

Duration

5 years

Positions available

1

Work

As an apprentice, you’ll work at a company and get hands-on experience. You’ll gain new skills and work alongside experienced staff.

What you’ll do at work

Have you always had that knack for practical, hands-on tasks? Does being fast-tracked to a management role appeal to you?

At Breedon we are very ambitious, and you’ll be instrumental in helping us to build a bright and sustainable future by assisting our management teams in running safe and efficient operational sites.

On the programme you will spend time in our quarries, concrete, and asphalt plants, getting your hands dirty and working alongside our fantastic operations teams. You’ll be an ideal fit for this position if you enjoy building relationships and have a great sense of humour.

Breedon is a home for inquisitive learners. Quarries, cement, and construction are no longer old-fashioned sectors. We’re providing the foundation for our lives, building the places where we live and work, play and in-between.

As an Operations Management Apprentice, you’ll be involved in everything from production planning, quality, health and safety, transportation, extraction, and blasting.

If you’re one to tiptoe around puddles with trepidation, maybe this role isn’t for you. You won’t be spending every day in a clean, corporate office swivelling on an office chair! If you have a natural affinity with the great outdoors, in all weathers, then now we’re talking!

You will need a driving licence for this role or be taking your test prior to the start date in August 2025.

Where you’ll work

Coxhoe

Durham

DH6 4BB

Training

An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.

College or training organisation

UNIVERSITY OF DERBY

Your training course

Mineral products technician (level 5)

Equal to higher national diploma (HND)

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.

Your training plan

Level 5 University Diploma in Mineral Product Studies and a Level 4 Diploma in Safety, Health & the Environment
The Apprenticeship programme is facilitated by Derby University
The programme structure and curriculum are designed to enable apprentices to meet the requirements of the level 5 Mineral Products Technician Standard
The programme is influenced by the principles of work-based learning. As such a flexible range of teaching and learning methodologies are used relevant to particular groups or practices

For example:

Face to face taught modules, every 8 weeks, combining tutor input with structured opportunities for discussion, reflection and planning for workplace application, offering theoretical underpinning whilst looking for links in the workplace

More training information

Upon successful completion of the Level 5 qualification, apprentices are then able to continue to complete Level 6 Hons degree in Minerals Product Management

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE or equivalent in:

English (grade 5)
Maths (grade 5)

A Level or equivalent in:

Any related subject - maths, business, engineering (grade A-C)

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Communication skills
IT skills
Organisation skills
Problem solving skills
Number skills
Analytical skills
Team working
Creative
Patience
Physical fitness

Other requirements

At Breedon we are very ambitious & you’ll be instrumental in helping us to build a bright & sustainable future by assisting our management teams in running safe and efficient operational sites. On the programme you will spend time in our quarries, concrete & asphalt plants, getting your hands dirty & working alongside our fantastic operations teams

About this company

Breedon is a leading construction materials group in Great Britain and Ireland. Our GB division comprises fully-integrated aggregates and downstream products businesses throughout the UK . We supply aggregates, asphalt, ready-mixed concrete & mortar and concrete blocks, together with a range of specialist building products including clay bricks and tiles, other clay products, decorative aggregates and Welsh slate, which are sold throughout the UK and Ireland.

http://www.breedongroup.com (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

Successful completion of the apprenticeship typically leads to supervisory and management roles within our operations
For example Quarry Supervisor, or Assistant Quarry Manager

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

UNIVERSITY OF DERBY

breedon@earlytalent.careers

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000301869.

Apply now

Closes in 26 days (Monday 10 March)

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After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.

Company’s application instructions

Apply via the careers page and 'view jobs'

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