Higher Apprenticeship - Mineral Products Technician

Do you want to gain operational, technical, financial and commercial skills alongside academic studies? Our higher apprenticeship programme is designed to develop future careers in a practical environment. Duties will include supporting the site manager with the day-to-day running of the site.

What you'll do

You will learn something new every day supported by a team of motivated people. As a trusted member of the team, you will gain experience in all activities of the site, developing skills and achieving learning aims so that you can support managers to operate the site effectively by the end of your programme. Experience will be gained in all activities from health and safety procedures through to maintenance, technical, quality control and asphalt production.

Duties will include (but not be limited to):

• Aiding in achieving optimum production output in line with commercial activity at the lowest sustainable operational cost whilst continually advancing operational improvements to increase efficiency with good management of the production functions
• Proactively proving high personal standards of safety behaviour, and monitoring the performance of the workplace through ‘Near Hit' reporting and safety ‘Conversation' processes
• Aiding in the management of mobile plant and machinery to ensure efficient running of plants to achieve outputs including., Regular Inspection, managing breakdown situations, preventative maintenance

Training

• You will 'earn while you learn' by completing a level 5 Higher Apprenticeship in Mineral Products Technology while working on a Heidelberg Materials site
• During the thirty-month programme you will gain experience and relevant qualifications in operational aspects of our business alongside blended learning, delivered by The University of Derby from which you will receive a Diploma
• You will be supported by your line manager, and assigned a mentor, as well as receiving first class training internally

After the apprenticeship

Upon successful completion of your apprenticeship and the Heidelberg Materials programme you could progress to a supervisory role. From your fourth year Hanson will also fund and enable you to top up your studies towards a full honours' degree in minerals management over an additional two-year period.

We can offer you clear career pathways, with access to multiple opportunities across our business from unit, production, plant, or operational managers, to transport and distribution managers, technical or commercial roles. If this sounds like the right opportunity for you then please apply online now.

Skills

• Communication skills
• Problem solving skills
• Team working
• Initiative

Qualifications

• Essential: GCSE, 5 subjects including Maths, English and Science (grade c or above)
• Essential: A Level, STEM subject (grade Grades A-C Grade 80+ UCAS pts)
• Essential: Other, UK Driving Licence (grade Full)

Things to consider

Due to the nature of our sites and the programme requirements a driver's licence is highly desirable - alternatively, please check public transport links. We will accept applicants who are in progress of achieving their licence. You must be willing and able to relocate at any stage during the programme to benefit from the opportunities on offer.

About the employer

Working at Heidelberg Materials UK is about being part of One Team. We operate over 280 manufacturing and distribution sites in the UK and employ more than 3,500 people in a wide range of roles from production workers, plant operators, technicians and drivers to sales, IT, engineering and finance managers.

We exceed customer expectations through an engaged team that is professional, responsible and reliable.

We believe in working safely and sustainably, focusing on a zero-harm workplace and our ambitious target to reduce our CO2 emissions by 50 per cent by 2030.

Our employees understand that we do much more than just produce materials: we are vital to ensuring roads can be built and maintained; we manufacture the concrete foundations for buildings such as schools and hospitals; and we are part of major infrastructure projects that will shape the future of the UK.

Apprenticeship details

• Course: Mineral products technician (level 5), Engineering and manufacturing
• Apprenticeship level: Higher (level 5)
• Training provider: UNIVERSITY OF DERBY
• Expected duration: 2 Years 6 Months
• Hours: 40 hours a week. Working week: Monday to Friday, between 8am and 5pm, with one hour unpaid for lunch.
• Start date: 14 September 2027
• Positions available: 1
• Wage: £25,084 a year
• Other locations: Chester, CH1 4NS; Mold, CH7 4HB; St. Ives, PE27 4LG