Operations Apprentice

Nestle; Totnes; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading multinational food manufacturer in the United Kingdom is seeking candidates for its Engineering Apprenticeship scheme. This four-year program offers valuable hands-on experience, allowing you to contribute to the design and optimisation of engineering processes. Applicants must be at least 18 years old by 1 August 2026 and must live in the UK for 3 years prior to the start date. Comprehensive support and mentorship will be provided throughout the apprenticeship.

Benefits

Comprehensive benefits

Employee Assistance Programme

Potential relocation support (£2,000)

Qualifications

• You need to be 18 by 1 August 2026.
• Have lived in the UK for 3 years prior to the start date.
• Right to work in the UK that's not time-limited.

Responsibilities

• Gain hands-on engineering experience and contribute to design and optimisation.
• Collaborate with various teams across different engineering roles.
• Receive mentorship for personal and professional growth.

Skills

Problem-solving

Team collaboration

Technical communication

Adaptability

Education

Maths and English Language GCSE at grades 9-4

Job description

Key Learning Areas

• Engineering fundamentals: Navigate the complexities of an ever‑changing engineering environment, where your decisions will significantly impact product design, process efficiency and safety standards.
• Innovative problem‑solving: Leverage the skills you develop during the scheme to address real‑time engineering challenges. Identify opportunities and implement creative solutions for sustainable engineering success.
• Agility and adaptability: Embrace the challenge of collaborating with a range of different teams and adapting to various engineering methodologies as you rotate through roles.
• Effective technical communication: Balance the needs of various cross‑functional teams, enhancing your interpersonal skills and building your professional brand within the engineering landscape.
• Continuous industry insight: Gain firsthand experience of emerging trends and external factors that influence engineering practices, deepening your understanding of the ever‑evolving engineering landscape.

Student Life & Support

Taking time out from the factory floor, you’ll get a taste of student life when you attend residential learning modules on block release at North West Training Council (NWTC) in Liverpool. Here you’ll meet other apprentices from around the country—it’s a great chance to strike up professional relationships and build a network that could open doors in the future. You can understand more about what you will learn on your apprenticeship journey by clicking on the link below to look at the apprenticeship standard: Food and drink maintenance engineer / Skills England. This is the current apprenticeship programme but could be subject to change by Skills England ahead of your 2026 start date.

Our Commitment to You

• Inclusive culture, join our variety of employee‑run networks!
• Comprehensive benefits
• Pastoral support
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Potential relocation support (£2,000)
• Prayer rooms
• Various rewards and recognition opportunities

After you click "apply" you’ll be prompted to answer a few questions to determine your eligibility for the scheme. If you qualify, we will invite you to complete an online assessment, which you can practice here. Please do not upload a CV, instead we ask you to upload any relevant qualifications to support your application.

Assessment Process

Once you have completed this stage, we will notify you if you are selected to attend an assessment day which will be in February, March or April 2026. It may take a little bit of time between assessment stages to get back to you; we really appreciate your patience.

Adjustments & Inclusive Process

We recognise that each candidate has unique needs, and we are committed to ensuring an inclusive application process. You will have the opportunity to discuss any specific requirements or adjustments you may need as you navigate through our recruitment process. We may occasionally close job advertisements early in the event we receive sufficient applicants, so please don’t delay in submitting your application.

At Nestlé, our values are rooted in respect—for our employees, our customers and our consumers. That’s why championing diversity and inclusion is so important to us; when we embrace different perspectives and give everyone the chance to be the best they can be, we can think in new, creative ways that grow and enhance our business. We are committed to equal opportunity for all and we may collect relevant data for monitoring purposes during our candidate registration process.

Requirements & Qualifications

• You will need to have the right to work in the UK that is not time‑limited and does not require sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route either at the start of the scheme or on completion.
• You will have lived in the UK for 3 years prior to the start date of this apprenticeship scheme.
• Maths and English Language GCSEs (or equivalent) at grades 9‑4 (A‑C if taken before 2017). Original certificates will need to be provided. Level 2 Maths functional skills is not eligible for this specific scheme due to the requirement of Maths knowledge for this role.
• You will need to be 18 by 1 August 2026.

Program Overview

Join our Engineering Apprenticeship scheme and begin an exciting journey towards a rewarding career with the world’s largest food and drink manufacturer. This opportunity is designed to help you develop essential fault‑finding and problem‑solving skills, shaping you into a confident and capable engineering professional.

Over the course of four years, you will receive guidance from our expert engineers and mentors, immersing yourself in the engineering processes that support our global operations. You’ll gain insights into the workings of complex manufacturing and process equipment, learning how to diagnose and resolve issues while ensuring the entire operation runs smoothly. Working in a fast‑paced, live environment, you will be empowered to make decisions and gain hands‑on experience with some of the most sophisticated equipment in food and drink manufacturing. Step into our vibrant, multi‑sensory factory environment, where you’ll drive innovation through your creativity every day. Join our team and take the first step towards a fulfilling engineering career!

What Makes This Scheme Exciting?

• Hands‑on engineering experience: You’ll take on genuine responsibilities that directly contribute to the design, development, and optimisation of engineering processes at Nestlé, allowing you to see the results of your efforts firsthand.
• Diverse engineering exposure: With varied roles across different aspects of engineering operations each day will present new challenges, enabling you to develop a comprehensive understanding of engineering principles, project management and technical problem‑solving.
• Mentorship opportunities: You’ll benefit from the wealth of knowledge within our experienced engineering team, fuelling your personal and professional growth through guidance from skilled mentors.
• Collaborative networking: The rotational nature of our scheme provides valuable exposure to leaders in engineering, helping you cultivate a broad understanding of engineering functions. You’ll also begin to build a supportive network within our engineering team and beyond.
• Career advancement: With a real commitment to your future, we will support your development throughout the scheme, backed by our extensive engineering resources and expertise.