Apprentice Product Design & Development Technician

Summary

A Design Engineer studies, researches, and develops ideas for new products and the methods used to make them. The Design Engineer will be working on a wide range of bespoke rotating machinery, couplings and test beds. These must be functional, reliable and safe to use, whilst ensuring that they are as cost effective and efficient as possible.

Wage

£15,969 a year

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Training course

Engineering and manufacturing support technician (level 3)

Hours

Monday- Thursday 8:30am - 5:15pm Friday 8:30am - 12:30pm

37 hours a week

Start date

Monday 1 September 2025

Duration

4 years

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

At Torquemeters, our Product Design and Development Apprenticeship aligns with our Design Engineer role, which will be based in the Design Office, a subsidiary of our busy Engineering Department.

During the course of the apprenticeship, the candidate will, alongside their studies, complete a full rotation of all business departments, aiming to give them a firm foundation in understanding of the responsibilities and functions of each area of the business. They will also undertake a personal project, designing, manufacturing and project managing it through its full lifecycle within the business. This will give particular insight into the design process and production activities involved in the business. It will also help the candidate to understand processes and standards, while appreciating the constraints and challenges faced by the business.

The Role

Producing General Arrangement, Assembly and detailed manufacturing drawings and B.O.M.s on time and to cost
Change Management and Revision Control of Engineering Documents
Checking and Releasing of Drawings
Brainstorming design solutions
Studying a design brief and researching whether it will work and be cost-effective
Performing initial sizing calculations
Assessing the usability, environmental impact, and safety of a design
Using computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-assisted engineering (CAE) software to create viable solutions
Conducting and documenting formal design reviews
Updating and maintaining Engineering Processes and documentation.

By the end of the apprenticeship, we expect the candidate to have developed the following skills:

Experience in an Engineering Design Environment
Rotating Machines/ Machinery experience
Knowledge of manufacturing processes such as machining and fabrication
MRP System Experience
Good time management, organisational and procedural abilities

As an employee of Torquemeters Limited you will operate in accordance with our quality procedures and receive ongoing personal development and training opportunities.

We offer an excellent contributory pension scheme, death in service, income protection benefits and optional Private Medical Insurance scheme. The company also supports employees to apply and maintain IMechE membership. Employees are entitled to five weeks paid annual leave plus statutory Bank Holidays.

As an Employee-Owned Trust (EOT) business, employees can potentially benefit from an annual bonus dependent on company performance (paid partially tax-free) and private medical insurance, after a qualifying period.

Where you’ll work

Torquemeters, West Haddon Road
Northampton
NN6 8ET

Training

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

College or training organisation

MIDLAND GROUP TRAINING SERVICES LIMITED

Your training course

Engineering and manufacturing support technician (level 3)

Equal to A level

Course contents

Follow health and safety regulations, standards, and guidance.
Follow procedures in line with environmental and sustainability regulations, standards, and guidance. For example, segregation of resources for reuse, recycling and disposal.
Comply with engineering standards and regulations. For example, British Standards (BS), International Organisation for Standardisation standards (ISO). European Norm (EN).
Analyse engineering and manufacturing data and information to support technical outputs. For example, read and interpret text, data, engineering drawings, work instructions, method statements, operation manuals.
Apply scientific, technical or engineering principles.
Apply problem solving techniques to solutions for identified technical problems.
Organise, plan and prioritise workflow and scheduling of work with stakeholders.
Identify, organise and use resources to complete tasks, considering cost, quality, safety, security and environmental impact.
Produce job specific technical outputs. For example, engineering drawings, quality control management, computer control programming, business improvement, adverse incident reports, technical investigations, equipment appraisals and specifications.
Provide support and guidance for handover of work to stakeholders. For example, checklists, product or process status, access to supporting documents.
Record information - paper based or electronic. For example, energy usage, equipment service records, test results, handover documents, checklists.
Follow standard operating procedures.
Follow manufacturer's instructions. For example, safe instructions for use of products, processes and machinery.
Apply quality assurance and control principles and practices. For example, conduct physical checks, take samples, inspections or tests.
Apply continuous improvement techniques.
Apply team working principles.
Communicate in writing with others for example, stakeholders, colleagues, and managers.
Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
Use information and digital technology. Comply with GDPR and cyber security regulations and policies.
Carry out and record learning and development activities.
Apply equity, diversity and inclusion procedures.
Follow health and safety regulations, standards, and guidance.
Follow procedures in line with environmental and sustainability regulations, standards, and guidance. For example, segregation of resources for reuse, recycling and disposal.
Comply with engineering standards and regulations. For example, British Standards (BS), International Organisation for Standardisation standards (ISO). European Norm (EN).
Analyse engineering and manufacturing data and information to support technical outputs. For example, read and interpret text, data, engineering drawings, work instructions, method statements, operation manuals.
Apply scientific, technical or engineering principles.
Apply problem solving techniques to solutions for identified technical problems.
Organise, plan and prioritise workflow and scheduling of work with stakeholders.
Identify, organise and use resources to complete tasks, considering cost, quality, safety, security and environmental impact.
Produce job specific technical outputs. For example, engineering drawings, quality control management, computer control programming, business improvement, adverse incident reports, technical investigations, equipment appraisals and specifications.
Provide support and guidance for handover of work to stakeholders. For example, checklists, product or process status, access to supporting documents.
Record information - paper based or electronic. For example, energy usage, equipment service records, test results, handover documents, checklists.
Follow standard operating procedures.
Follow manufacturer's instructions. For example, safe instructions for use of products, processes and machinery.
Apply quality assurance and control principles and practices. For example, conduct physical checks, take samples, inspections or tests.
Apply continuous improvement techniques.
Apply team working principles.
Communicate in writing with others for example, stakeholders, colleagues, and managers.
Communicate with others verbally for example, colleagues and stakeholders.
Use information and digital technology. Comply with GDPR and cyber security regulations and policies.
Carry out and record learning and development activities.
Apply equity, diversity and inclusion procedures.

Your training plan

Level 2 Diploma in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering (Foundation Competence)
BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering (Development Knowledge)
Level 3 Diploma in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering (Development Competence)

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE or equivalent in:

Maths (grade 9-5)
English (grade 9-4)
English (grade 9-4)

Desirable qualifications

GCSE or equivalent in:

Any two other subjects (grade 9-4)

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
Number skills
Analytical skills
Team working

Other requirements

Torquemeters is located in a rural location in Ravensthorpe, and is not serviced by public transport, so applicants’ own transport is required. Training will be carried out at the MGTS facility in Coventry, so consideration should be given to being able to travel to both.

About this company

Since our inception in 1951, we’ve been constantly evolving our product portfolio to meet the demands and ever-changing needs for some of the world’s largest industries. From the design of the first ever optical Torquemeter, our business has sustained manufacturing excellence for over 60 years, setting the industry standard for the turbomachinery market. Today we operate from our purpose built, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Northampton, where we routinely design and develop system solutions for bespoke applications.

After this apprenticeship

Once successfully completing the apprenticeship, the candidate may be offered a design engineering role within the business

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is: