Engineering Manufacturing Technician – Level 4 Apprenticeship Standard

This apprenticeship supports manufacturing technicians found in large and small engineering and manufacturing organisations providing products and services throughout a wide range of sectors such as automotive, aerospace/airworthiness, chemical processing, land systems, marine, maritime defence, materials manufacturers and their respective supply chains. Research indicates that the sector needs to recruit approximately 124,000 engineers and technicians every year.

The broad purpose of a manufacturing technician is to provide specialist technical support for engineers, so that organisations can develop, produce or test new/existing products, processes or procedures to meet a customer specification in terms of quality, cost and delivery as efficiently and effectively as possible. 

This apprenticeship will help you to develop a skilled engineer. The apprentice will provide specialist technical support so that your organisation can develop, produce or test new and existing products, processes or procedures to meet customer specification in terms of cost, quality and delivery. Technicians will gather information and data from a range of sources and analyse to make decisions and produce technical documentation and reports. The apprentice will also learn to be proactive in finding solutions to problems and identifying areas for improving how the business operates. By completing the apprenticeship, they should be capable of joining your team as a valuable member of staff.

Individual employers will set the selection criteria for their apprenticeships. In order to optimise success, candidates will typically have five GCSEs at grade C (grade 4/5 in the new numerical GCSE grading system) or above, including Mathematics, English and a Science, Technology or Engineering related subject, or 90+ credits in an Engineering BTEC at Level 3.

As further guidance, the level of Mathematics has an advisory GCSE level of grade B (grade 5/6 in the new numerical GCSE grading system).

Apprentices must be employed in a suitable job role for 30+ hours per week. The apprentice will be expected to demonstrate a range of knowledge and skills as outlined in the apprenticeship standard. Examples of the required knowledge and skills are described below:

Knowledge

• Problem solving tools/techniques such as practical problem solving (PPS), root cause analysis (RCA) and process failure mode effects analysis (PFMEA).
• Effective communication techniques including listening, questioning and support of others.
• Use, benefits and applications of lean methods and tools used in manufacturing and engineering (such as Kaizen, Six Sigma and 8 wastes).
• How Industry 4.0 will impact organisations, including the integration of automation, digital systems and manufacturing engineering systems.
• Quality management systems used such as ISO9001, AS9100, ISO 14001 and TS16949, their purpose and internal governance arrangements to ensure compliance.
• Different manufacturing methods used and their applications, such as machining, joining, forming, assembling, shaping, processing, printing, moulding, extruding and casting.
• Principles of quality control and quality assurance in a manufacturing and engineering environment.
• Team integration techniques, including conflict resolution and managing difficult conversations (team working).
• Core engineering principles such as mathematics, science, mechanical and electrical/electronic applications relevant to the manufacturing and engineering activity undertaken.
• Importance for individuals to use and follow the organisation’s approved Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and documentation recording systems and the potential implications for safety, quality and delivery if they are not adhered to.
• Statutory and organisational health and safety policies, procedures and regulations that must be adhered to in a manufacturing and engineering environment including the risk assessment process, procedures and documentation used within the work area.

Skills

• Read and extract relevant engineering and manufacturing related data and information (such as work plans/project plans, schedules, drawings, specifications, production data, quality reports, costing data, statistical information), drawing accurate conclusions and making informed decisions.
• Use project management tools, such as Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats (SWOT), stakeholder matrices, risk mapping, radar chart and summary risk profiles.
• Use problem solving tools such as Root Cause Analysis (RCA) Process Failure Modes Effects Analysis (PFMEA), Fishbone, Practical Problem Solving (PPS) and Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP).
• Analyse and interpret data and information in order to generate manufacturing engineering documentation such as Parts Per Million (PPM) quality adherence, cost analysis and test data.
• Communicate using the appropriate method for the audience such as formal and informal presentations, written reports, verbal, electronic, social media and incorporating relevant and appropriate data and/or metrics.
• Use the approved process and quality compliance procedure to create or amend engineering and/or manufacturing documentation.
• Use lean tools and techniques, such as Six Sigma, 8 Wastes, workplace organisation such as 5Ss (sort, set in order, shine, standardise and sustain), Kaizen and Poka-Yoke (Error proofing).
• Use computer-based software system/packages such as Computer Aided Design (CAD), Data Analytics and Databases.

Modern manufacturing organisations require their apprentices to have a set of behaviours that will ensure success both in their role and in the overall company objectives. The required behaviours are:

• Champions the importance of adherence to the organisation’s Environmental, Health and Safety management systems; actively displays and promotes a safety first culture within the organisation.
• Operates in a systematic, proactive and transparent way.
• Actively promotes the case for the adoption of emerging and advanced engineering and manufacturing technologies to optimise performance.
• Takes full responsibility for own professional development, seeking opportunities to enhance knowledge, skills and experience while keeping abreast of developments in engineering processes manufacturing and emerging technologies.
• Complies with statutory and organisational health and safety regulations and policies at all times; accepts responsibility for their workload with a responsible approach to risk; demonstrates a high level of motivation and resilience when facing challenge.
• Creates and maintains positive, professional, trusting and ethical working relationships with their team and the wider range of internal, external and connected stakeholders.
• Acts professionally with a positive and respectful attitude.

Higher National Certificate (HNC) in Engineering.

Assessment is via coursework and completion of an End Point Assessment which is described below:

In conjunction with the College, you will be asked to formally sign-off that the apprentice has met the minimum requirements for knowledge, skills and behaviours within the apprenticeship standard and confirm they are ready to move on to the End Point Assessment, which will be measured as follows:

• Observation with questioning: the apprentice will be observed by an independent assessor while completing work tasks in their normal workplace, in which they will demonstrate the knowledge, skills and behaviours assigned to the assessment. The questioning by the independent assessor will enable the checking of underpinning knowledge, skills and behaviours.

• Professional discussion supported by a portfolio of evidence: the professional discussion will allow a wider breadth of knowledge and understanding to be covered, as well as the knowledge, skills and behaviours that may not have naturally occurred in every workplace to be assessed. The supporting portfolio of evidence will enable the apprentice to refer to real work examples when providing their answers in the discussion.

The apprenticeship entails day release at College for two years and attendance is required for the End Point Assessment.

Nothing additional is required.

They can advance to a Level 6 degree apprenticeship.

• Manufacturing engineer – quality
• Manufacturing production engineer
• Manufacturing procurement engineer
• Quality engineer
• Costing engineer
• Test and commissioning engineer
• Installation engineer
• Process engineer
• Production support engineer

You may already have someone in your organisation or someone who has come to you directly asking for an apprenticeship. But, if you don’t, we have a free recruitment service to help you hire the best candidate for your organisation from our talent pool and we arrange external advertising through social media and the National Apprenticeship Service’s website.

If you are an employer and you would like to know more, please email businessenquiries@derby-college.ac.uk or call 01332 387421