Apprentice Maintenance Engineer

Summary

Dechra Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing, based in Skipton, are looking for an apprentice to gain practical experience and develop technical skills in maintenance, troubleshooting, and repair of production equipment and systems.

Wage

£15,900 a year

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Plenty of training and development opportunities 22.5 days annual leave + Bank holidays Option to buy a week's holiday each year 8% Employer Pension Contribution

Training course

Mechatronics maintenance technician (level 3)

Hours

1st year is spent in college, Year 2 onwards rotating shifts 6am-2pm/2pm-10pm with every 5th Friday off.

36 hours a week

Start date

Tuesday 2 September 2025

Duration

4 years

Positions available

2

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

The apprentice will work alongside experienced engineers to support the efficient and reliable operation of manufacturing processes, packing equipment and laboratory equipment, ensuring compliance with safety and quality standards. As a direct report of the shift team leader day to day direction and guidance will be provided by them to ensure maximum exposure to all our processes and methods of maintaining our equipment.

Key Responsibilities

·       Assist in the maintenance and repair of production equipment, including mechanical, electrical, and control systems.
·       Learn to diagnose and troubleshoot equipment issues, perform preventive maintenance, and carry out necessary repairs to minimize downtime.
·       Support the installation and commissioning of new equipment, ensuring compliance with safety and quality standards.
·       Follow standard operating procedures and safe working practices to ensure a safe working environment.
·       Collaborate with team members to identify and implement process improvements and optimization initiatives.
·       Maintain accurate records of maintenance activities, including work performed, spare parts used, and equipment history.

Where you’ll work

Snaygill Industrial Estate Keighley Road
Skipton
BD23 2RW

Training

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

College or training organisation

APPRIS CHARITY LIMITED

Your training course

Mechatronics maintenance technician (level 3)

Equal to A level

Course contents

Use information technology, for example to create documentation, communication and information management.
Obtain, read and interpret task related documentation, such as work instructions, quality control documents, drawings, operation manuals, specifications and service manuals.
Record information for example 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.
Conduct initial assessment of equipment that requires maintenance.
Formulate plans setting out the methodology of the maintenance activity including timescales and resources.
Select, prepare and use material, consumables, tools and equipment.
Comply with health and safety regulations and organisational requirements applicable in the workplace. For example, COSHH, PUWER, LOLER, PPE and applying safe systems of work.
Apply dynamic risk assessment, hazard identification and risk mitigation principles and techniques.
Apply isolation principles and techniques to equipment undergoing maintenance, including dissipation of stored energies as required.
Manufacture, repair and refurbish components using hand and machine tools.
Restore the workplace on completion of the maintenance activity. Handover resources, consumables and equipment to process owner.
Apply the techniques and processes used in reactive maintenance and repair activities on complex engineered systems such as electrical, electronic, mechanical, fluid power and control systems.
Produce, maintain, update, record and store documentation including electronic items such as PLC and robot programmes.
Apply techniques and processes used in planned and preventative maintenance activities on engineered systems such as electrical, electronic, mechanical, fluid power and control systems.
Apply functional testing and checking techniques and processes after maintenance interventions, and handover to the operational team.
Apply techniques and processes used in condition monitoring, non-destructive or sensory testing. Record findings and take necessary actions.
Apply calculation techniques such as, feeds, speeds, tolerances, electrical calculations using Ohms law, power calculations and cable sizing calculations.
Select, use and confirm calibration of electrical and mechanical testing and measuring equipment.
Produce sketches or drawings to support maintenance activities.
Communicate in writing. Prepare communications, documents and reports on technical matters.
Segregate, separate and dispose of waste streams and by-products.
Apply 4S or 5S principles of housekeeping to the work environment.
Identify opportunities and make recommendations to improve operational performance.
Apply continuous improvement techniques.
Communicate with others verbally. Negotiate with colleagues or stakeholders. For example, to access equipment or arrange access to equipment.
Follow equity, diversity and inclusion procedures.
Carry out and record planned and unplanned learning and development activities.
Apply fault finding techniques used in reactive maintenance on complex integrated systems including half split, input output, six point technique, function or performance testing, unit or component substitution and equipment diagnostics.
Use information technology, for example to create documentation, communication and information management.
Obtain, read and interpret task related documentation, such as work instructions, quality control documents, drawings, operation manuals, specifications and service manuals.
Record information for example 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.
Conduct initial assessment of equipment that requires maintenance.
Formulate plans setting out the methodology of the maintenance activity including timescales and resources.
Select, prepare and use material, consumables, tools and equipment.
Comply with health and safety regulations and organisational requirements applicable in the workplace. For example, COSHH, PUWER, LOLER, PPE and applying safe systems of work.
Apply dynamic risk assessment, hazard identification and risk mitigation principles and techniques.
Apply isolation principles and techniques to equipment undergoing maintenance, including dissipation of stored energies as required.
Manufacture, repair and refurbish components using hand and machine tools.
Restore the workplace on completion of the maintenance activity. Handover resources, consumables and equipment to process owner.
Apply the techniques and processes used in reactive maintenance and repair activities on complex engineered systems such as electrical, electronic, mechanical, fluid power and control systems.
Produce, maintain, update, record and store documentation including electronic items such as PLC and robot programmes.
Apply techniques and processes used in planned and preventative maintenance activities on engineered systems such as electrical, electronic, mechanical, fluid power and control systems.
Apply functional testing and checking techniques and processes after maintenance interventions, and handover to the operational team.
Apply techniques and processes used in condition monitoring, non-destructive or sensory testing. Record findings and take necessary actions.
Apply calculation techniques such as, feeds, speeds, tolerances, electrical calculations using Ohms law, power calculations and cable sizing calculations.
Select, use and confirm calibration of electrical and mechanical testing and measuring equipment.
Produce sketches or drawings to support maintenance activities.
Communicate in writing. Prepare communications, documents and reports on technical matters.
Segregate, separate and dispose of waste streams and by-products.
Apply 4S or 5S principles of housekeeping to the work environment.
Identify opportunities and make recommendations to improve operational performance.
Apply continuous improvement techniques.
Communicate with others verbally. Negotiate with colleagues or stakeholders. For example, to access equipment or arrange access to equipment.
Follow equity, diversity and inclusion procedures.
Carry out and record planned and unplanned learning and development activities.
Apply fault finding techniques used in reactive maintenance on complex integrated systems including half split, input output, six point technique, function or performance testing, unit or component substitution and equipment diagnostics.

Your training plan

Level 3 Mechatronics Maintenance Technician standard

Year 1 - 5 days per week at Appris Training Centre, Bradford, studying a BTEC Level 2 Diploma in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering (Foundation Competence - Electrical Engineering) and BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering (Development Knowledge - Electrical Engineering)

Year 2 to Year 4 - Workplace learning: Level 3 EAL Diploma in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering (Mechatronics Maintenance)

Internal training, development and mentoring with highly skilled engineers in a variety of project and support based areas and other engineering related duties and requirements. This will meet the Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours (KSBs) required for the apprenticeship. In your 4th Year, you will continue to work towards your occupational competency in engineering and prepare for independent end-point assessments.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

English (grade 4 or above (or predicted))
Maths (grade 4 or above (or predicted))
Science (grade 4 or above (or predicted))

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
Attention to detail
Organisation skills
Problem solving skills
Number skills
Analytical skills
Logical
Team working
Initiative
Patience
Physical fitness

About this company

Dechra is a global specialist veterinary pharmaceuticals and related products business. Our expertise is in the development manufacture and sales of high quality products exclusively for veterinarians worldwide. We are driven by our purpose of the sustainable improvement of local animal health and welfare.

https://www.dechra.co.uk/about/overview (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

Free access to the Headspace App (share with upto 5 users) Employee Assistance Programme (free wellbeing support) WPO Healthcare Cash Plan (claim costs back for prescriptions, opticians, counselling etc) Free on-site parking (and E charging)

After this apprenticeship

Successful apprentices can look forward to further learning and development with commensurate salary increases. Option to complete a HNC qualification may also be available for suitable candidates.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

APPRIS CHARITY LIMITED

Calvin Bowers

c.bowers@appris.ac.uk

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000315874.

Apply now

Closes on Sunday 15 June 2025

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