Engineering Apprentice – CNC Machinist – Find an apprenticeship

Summary

This is an excellent opportunity, working on a variety of projects whilst learning about CNC machining as well as gaining a full qualification and having a guaranteed full-time job as a CNC Machinist after 4-years.

Wage

£15,704 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

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Training course

Machining technician (level 3)

Hours

1st Year 37.5h per week (Monday - Friday) 8:30am - 4:30pm All Apprentices will be required to move to a double day shift working pattern from the second year. 2nd/3rd/4th Year 40h per week (Monday - Friday) Alternating Shifts - 6am - 2pm/2pm - 10pm

40 hours a week

Start date

Monday 1 September 2025

Duration

3 years 6 months

Positions available

6

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

Main duties include within the First Year:

Departmental Placements within Nylacast, which will give potential apprentices a good understanding of Health, Safety and Environmental issues that arise to working right the way through to Quality, Inspection and Warehouse
Understanding Engineering Drawings and basic manufacturing techniques
Day/Block Release to college to study for Level 3 Engineering Apprenticeships
Work as a Team on a project set by the HR & Technical Trainer

Main duties after 2nd Year include:

Continuing Day/Block Release to College
Permanent Placement with one of the CNC Departments
Learning to Set & Operate the various machines within the department
Learning the CNC Programming Language
Ensure work is carried out to the highest standard and in the interest of the company
To be flexible and carry out other reasonable requests made by the line manager to support departmental or company objectives

Where you’ll work

480 Thurmaston Boulevard
Leicester
LE4 9LN

Training

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

College or training organisation

LEICESTER COLLEGE

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

Machining Technician Level 3.

You will attend Leicester College, Abbey Park Campus, one day per week for training.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

English (grade Grade C or 4 equivalent)
maths (grade Grade C or 4 equivalent)

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
Non judgemental

About this company

Nylacast is a leading manufacturer of low-weight, low-friction polymers components, using mechanical engineering principles, and offer award winning solutions for safety critical applications

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

Company benefits

28 days ( 20 day personal holiday & 8 Bank Holidays)

Disability Confident

A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.

You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.

After this apprenticeship

Full-time programmer on the machine tools.

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