CNC Setter/Operator Apprentice
IMAGE WHEELS INTERNATIONAL LTD
TIPTON (DY4 9HA)
Closes in 24 days (Friday 23 May 2025 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 29 April 2025
Contents
Summary
Being part of a small, close knit team, who specialise in bespoke aluminium alloy wheel manufacturing. Learning to program, set and operate CNC turning and milling machines. Changing tools and jaws, reading technical drawings.
- Wage
-
£15,704 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 to Thursday, 08:00 - 17:00.
Friday, 08:00 - 14:00.
39 hours 30 minutes a week
- Start date
-
Monday 1 September 2025
- 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
The apprentice will be given full training on all aspects of alloy wheel manufacturing. As well as manual handling, and any other training we think is needed to assist them with the job role.
Main duties will include:
- Programming, setting and operating CNC turning and milling machines/lathes.
- Understanding and interpreting technical drawings
- Swapping and changing over jaws in the machines
- Safely loading and unloading jobs from the machines
- Ensuring the products meet certain quality and safety standards
- Ensuring the job matches the spec/drawing provided and there are no errors or mistakes
- Conforming to BS EN ISO9001:2015 standards
- Basic CNC machine maintenance
- Using measuring equipment
- Tool and machine setting
Where you’ll work
UNIT 3
FOUNTAIN LANE
TIPTON
DY4 9HA
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
College or training organisation
DUDLEY COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY
Your training course
Machining technician (level 3)
Equal to A level
Course contents
- 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.
Your training plan
- You will be required to attend Advance 1 Campus, Dudley College, 1 day per week in term time only
- You will be assigned an assessor who will visit you in the workplace every 8 weeks to support you with your apprenticeship
- Upon successful completion of the apprenticeship you will be awarded a Level 3 Machining Technician qualification
More training information
The apprentice will be given full training on all aspects of alloy wheel manufacturing. Training that may be beneficial to the apprentice within their job role could be provided, such as:
- Manual handling
- Abrasive wheel
- Basic CNC maintenance
- Tool setting
- Machine setting
- Programming
- Use of measuring equipment
- BS EN ISO90001:2015
- Full product training
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade C/4/Level 2 Functional Skills)
- Maths (grade C/4/Level 2 Functional Skills)
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
- Initiative
- Hard worker
- Listening skills
- Drive to learn new skills
- Passion for engineering
- Passion for cars
About this company
We manufacture bespoke aluminium alloy wheels to order. We manufacture wheels from Classic Minis to historic Formula One cars - the list is endless. We use a range of CNC lathes and milling machines, with Fanuc, XYZ and Siemens controls. We have been going since 1987 and our dedicated staff are a close knit, small team. We're part of a very niche market, with lots of variations in skills and jobs. There are opportunities for growth within our company and further training is welcome and provided if needed.
After this apprenticeship
To become part of our team and join us on our continuing journey of providing products to a very niche market. Potential of progression levels to a managerial level within our factory setup.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
DUDLEY COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY
Chloe Powell
Chloe.Powell@dudleycol.ac.uk
01384363158
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000317453.
Apply now
Closes in 24 days (Friday 23 May 2025 at 11:59pm)
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