Who are we, and what do we do?
You may not have heard of us, but there’s a good chance you’ve enjoyed our products. Avara Foods is one of the UK’s leading food businesses, supplying chicken and turkey to the country’s major supermarkets and well-known restaurants.
We own and manage our entire supply chain, from farms to factory and all the way to the customer door – meaning we have careers that cover a whole range of functions. We have major processing sites across England and Wales, and an agricultural network of over 350 farms, spanning from North Yorkshire to the South Coast and Wales.
A little about our Hereford Site:
Our advanced manufacturing site in Hereford, is one of our main processing facilities, processing up to 2 million birds per week. There are over 1,500 talented people employed at our Hereford site, helping us to deliver high quality products to our customers and making the business a trusted leader in fresh foods. We’ve recently invested £1.2 million in technology and equipment, making it one of the most advanced food manufacturing facilities in the UK.
The benefits of working for Avara Foods:
As a Degree Engineering Apprentice, you will enjoy a secure, supportive, and progressive working environment, where your contribution and achievements will be recognised and rewarded. On completion of the 4-year course, you will gain a Level 6 Manufacturing Engineering Degree from Aston University.
We offer comprehensive training as well as continuous development as you build your long-term career with us. You can also look forward to benefits that amongst other things include the following:
• Competitive starting salary increasing after successful completion of each year.
• Structured apprenticeship pathway with placements across the site to ensure rounded development.
• Mentoring and training provided by experienced engineers and managers.
• Safety focused fundamentals training package including abrasive wheels, LOLER, COSHH & PUWER.
• Develop your mechanical skills through delivery of the site’s mechanical rebuild schedule.
• Develop your electrical skills through our onsite electrical workshop.
• Opportunities to develop fabrication skills including Welding.
• Merging practical experience with skills-based learning, you will be attending Aston University learning on scheduled days.
About the Role:
Are you passionate about starting your career within Engineering? Do you have an ambitious nature that strives towards high performance? Looking for a company you want to work with and for?
As an inclusive, forward-thinking business, we take pride in our approach to Engineering across Avara Foods and are looking for a highly competent and motivated Degree Engineering Apprentice to be part of our high-performance Engineering team at our advanced manufacturing site in Hereford.
Merging practical experience with skills-based learning, our apprenticeships are designed to kick-start your career. Our apprenticeship programme offers you the opportunity to gain valuable skills and experience, where you will combine university--based learning at Aston University, Birmingham, with on-the-job training. You will attend Aston University for block weeks and will be staying on campus during these periods. You will collaborate with experts, on real projects that shape our future, and you will have a mentor who will support you throughout the programme.
Aston University:
Aston University has been awarded Triple Gold – the highest possible rating for the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023.
The Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) is a national scheme run by the Office for Students (OfS). It assesses and rates universities and colleges for excellence above a set of minimum requirements for academic quality and standards. Aston University has achieved the best possible TEF rating – Gold overall and Gold for both underpinning aspects: Student Experience and Student Outcomes.
Top 25 UK University - Aston University is ranked 25th in the UK in the Guardian University Guide, 2024.
What will you be doing as a Degree Engineering Apprentice at Avara?
As an Engineering Degree Apprentice, you will work to gain an in-depth knowledge and applied understanding of Manufacturing Engineering, whilst developing the practical skills needed to develop a successful career within the manufacturing industry. In the first year, you will undergo technical training to operate as Continuous Improvement or Reliability Engineers. This will include the development of practical hard skills, root cause analysis, trend analysis and maintenance techniques.
What will your key responsibilities as a Degree Engineering Apprentice include?
• To support the Engineering Team with a fresh and innovative way of thinking to ensure that our advanced automated technology is working productively and efficiently.
• Work to solve operational problems and have an impact on operational performance within a FMCG environment.
• Use the skills you are gaining within your off the job learning to help you excel within your day-to-day role.
• Follow good engineering standards and good hygiene practice for the department.
• Ensure all activities are carried out within company and legislative health and safety guidelines, highlighting possible areas of improvement to the Engineering Shift Manager / Principal Engineer.
What you’ll need to be successful:
As an Engineering Degree Apprentice, we are looking for a driven and ambitious person to join our team. To be successful you will:
• Be enthusiastic and well-disciplined as our degree apprenticeship is heavily focused on attitude and behaviour
• Exhibit initiative and be passionate for innovation and technology
• Be an excellent communicator with good interpersonal skills
• Have high analytical capability with the ability to think logically
• Have the ability to think logically and to work both independently and as part of a team
*This programme is designed for those with A-levels or equivalent, but no degree. Applicants that do not have the below qualifications may still meet the entry requirements based on their work experience and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
To be eligible, you need:
• 5 GCSE’s including Math's and English (4-9)
• Applicants will have/are predicted to achieve three A Levels at CCC or above including a Mathematics based subject and a STEM subject, or equivalent BTECs. * Other qualifications may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• Have been a UK/EU/EAA resident for the past three years or more prior to starting the course
Other important things to know about our Apprenticeships before applying:
We have a duty of care to our colleagues and wouldn't want you to spend a large amount of time commuting, so we require our Apprentices to be based within a reasonable radius of their site location.
You'll need to have the permanent right to stay and work in the UK.
We are committed to being an equal opportunities employer.
You’ll be working in a fast-paced, dynamic FMCG factory environment, which is noisy and refrigerated in some areas, manufacturing short shelf-life products where hygiene standards are critical. The role is both factory and office based.
What happens after you apply for this role?
After you’ve applied, you’ll be contacted in due course by a Resourcing Officer at our Hereford Office, to discuss your application and CV further. There’ll also be a chance for you to ask us any questions you may have about the role. If you have any questions regarding this role before this stage, please email us at [email protected]
If you’re ready to work in a dynamic environment alongside talented people who take pride in delivering great results, apply today!
Due to Bird Welfare, it is essential that you do not own any Avian Pets or Poultry.
We are committed to being an equal opportunities employer.
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