Manufacturing Apprenticeships
WHAT IS A MANUFACTURING TECHNICIAN ROLE?
A Manufacturing Technician receives and batches raw materials before they are processed and is involved in the control of the process via computerised systems to melt and form the glass from raw materials. The Manufacturing Process is shown below and you will be involved in all areas of making the glass products at either; Greengate, Cowley Hill or Watson Street Works. Each site makes different products of glass and you will be involved in the Batch Plant, Hot End, Lehr, Annealing, Cold End and Warehouse being trained in all aspects of each stage of the glass process to eventually be an expert in a specified area of the process.
THE PROGRAMME
Waterside in conjunction with NSG Pilkington Group Limited have outstanding career opportunities to follow a 3-Year Apprenticeship in Advanced Manufacturing to potentially develop to become a key member of the production team.
Float glass production units are multi-million pound facilities that run continuously to produce glass 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The manufacturing teams work on a continuous shift systems and are paid a generous shift-work premium in return. During your apprenticeship it is likely you will be required to experience shift work and in return you will receive a generous salary.
Much of the work in a Pilkington Glass Manufacturing Plant involves monitoring the computerised control of the above processes. This requires alertness and the ability to respond appropriately to changes in visually presented information (and the ability to intervene safely and effectively when things go wrong!).
Manufacturing team members have a sound understanding of the basic principles of Physics and Chemistry and the nature of materials to complement their understanding of the production process as a whole. This enables them to contribute to continuous improvement of the products and manufacturing processes. They learn to use many modern manufacturing improvement techniques such as Statistical Process Control, Visual Workplace, Total Productive Maintenance and Problem Solving Methodology and can progress to team leader in a specialised area of expertises. To fully understand the Glass process you will complete a full City & Guilds Glass Technology Qualification.
Under normal conditions, much of the work is indoors though some outdoor work e.g. moving raw materials and transferring packs of glass may be required (you may learn to drive forklift trucks and other heavy vehicles). During unsteady process conditions or product changes, some work may take place under hot conditions. On the next page a breakdown of the framework and qualifications is listed over the duration of the 3 year apprenticeship programme.
THE MANUFACTURING APPRENTICESHIP | PROGRAMME DETAIL
