Listings - Processing & Manufacturing

Processing & Manufacturing

So, what's it all about?

Please treat your Apprenticeship Guide with care. It took a lot of work. We researched it, wrote it, designed it... and then the real work began.

The paper that it's printed on didn't grow on trees, you know. Well, OK, yes it did - but a lot of things needed to be done to turn a pile of wood into glossy paper, from pulping and drying to coating and cutting. We didn't get the printing ink from a friendly squid, either: it was manufactured on an industrial scale, using a mixture of oils, dyes and all sorts of other additives.

And since we needed a lot of copies, it would have taken a bit too long to print all the pages out on our little inkjet printer then staple them together (and we'd probably have got the pages in the wrong order, too). Instead, we found a printing company who have machines that can run off hundreds of pages a second, cut them, fold them, bind them and package them.

These machines don't run themselves, of course, but need skilled operators, technicians and engineers to keep them working. That might mean keeping the ink levels topped up, adding new rolls of paper or resetting an electronic program.

Other people make sure the product meets quality standards. Do the colours in your Guide look washed out? Are some of the pages cut off in the wrong place? No? Then they did their job properly (phew!).

We've used the printing industry as an example, but it's just one of many areas which fall under the broad heading of processing and manufacturing. What we're talking about is producing things on an industrial scale.

It's a massively varied sector. Your Apprenticeship could see you making lenses for cameras, printing chocolate boxes or turning out road signs. Just have a look around the room you're sitting in: the manufacturing industry will have been involved in practically every object you can see.

Globalisation has changed the manufacturing industry in the UK. Goods are increasingly made overseas where costs are much lower. To compete, the UK has to focus on being as hi-tech, efficient and productive as possible. That means there's a demand for skilled workers, not just production line robots.

What qualities do I need?

work well as part of a team
learn how to operate complex machinery
be able to use computers and hi-tech equipment
be aware of health and safety issues
have numeracy skills
be able to manage your workload
have good timekeeping and organisational skills
be physically fit
be able to work quickly
concentrate for long periods, even when doing repetitive tasks

Vital Statistics

Hours: The working week is usually around 37.5 hours, often in shifts, but there may be overtime too.

Environment: Factories tend to be fast-moving, noisy places. You're likely to spend a lot of time standing up and doing manual work. Industrial machines are potentially dangerous, so you'll need to take care.

Location: Since the Industrial Revolution, the North of England has been the hub of the UK's manufacturing industry, and the north west remains the leading manufacturing region. However, there are jobs to be found all over the country.

Apprenticeships in this sector

These are the Apprenticeships currently available in this sector. For more information and for details of the Apprenticeship framework, contact the Sector Skills Council listed after each.