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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Join our manufacturing team to support innovative food production projects and improve processes.
- Company: apetito is the UK's leading food supplier for health and social care, crafting nutritious meals.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, 25 days holiday, and perks like free parking and a subsidized canteen.
- Why this job: Gain hands-on experience in engineering while making a positive impact on food quality and health.
- Qualifications: Pursuing a degree in Engineering/Math/Science with a 2:1 or above; data analysis skills required.
- Other info: Opportunity to transition into a graduate role after your placement.
Location
- UK-Wiltshire-Trowbridge
- Contract type: Placement
Overview
We are excited to offer an opportunity for a placement student to join our experienced and passionate Manufacturing team on a Continuous Improvement Engineer Undergraduate Placement. You will support the manufacturing team to deliver innovative solutions to the food manufacturing process.
There are a variety of projects, which you could be involved in, that add value to the business and can make a huge difference in every aspect of it. We’re looking for someone to support complex manufacturing processes and develop innovative engineering or process solutions to improve the performance of our manufacturing facility.
You’ll gain experience in manufacturing principles, process flows, facility design, production equipment (particularly cooking, dicing, mincing, LEVs and lifting support) and refrigeration systems.
This placement will be an opportunity to learn and put in practice techniques such as lean, six sigma and PRINCE2. You will learn techniques such as 5S, root cause analysis and apply DMAIC steps to your projects/objectives.
Who we are
apetito is the UK’s leading food supplier to the health and social care sectors serving more than 1,300 care homes, health care and education settings. Our meals are expertly crafted by our dietitians and chefs, and then frozen to lock in the goodness. Wiltshire Farm Foods, our sister company, is the UK’s largest ready meal supplier cooking and delivering over 330 different delicious frozen ready meals across the UK.
Many of our placement students have gone on to join the company as Graduates on completing their degrees. Full details on the programme can be found on our careers pages at apetito Graduates.
Responsibilities
Examples of previous projects Placement students have been involved in:
Cake project:
- The development of a brand new cakes range
- Recipe, mixing, baking, process flow and line installation
- Supplier visits & installation, planning of trials and presenting data
- Staff procedures and management
Multi-Plus project:
- Supplier sourcing and visits – Germany
- Tray and packaging design
- Production line modifications
- Sourcing new equipment and machinery
- Trials and customer feedback
Continuous improvement and lean projects that require you to understand a step-by-step approach and subsequent removal of steps that do not add value to the process and finished product.
About you
Essential:
- Studying towards a degree in Engineering/Mathematics/Sciences related discipline with the expectation that you will receive a 2:1 or above and are looking to complete a 12-month placement as part of your degree.
- Confident working with large data sets and able to analyse them to determine any patterns or trends to support further work or solutions.
- Comfortable being “hands on” and working on the shop floor to further understand the problem and find solutions.
- Interaction with shop floor staff at all levels will be essential to be successful in the various projects and tasks assigned.
Desirable:
- Experience of Project Management
- Passion for food
Personal Qualities:
- Excellent analysis, problem management and interpersonal skills
- A completer finisher
- Self-motivated and able to own and manage workload with minimal supervision – a proven self-starter
- Able to demonstrate a structured approach to work as well as being able to work well in a team environment and deal with people professionally at all levels
- Effective at using oral and written forms of communication
Company Benefits
- Competitive salary – accredited Living Wage employer
- 25 days holiday per year, plus bank holidays
- Option to purchase up to 5 additional days holiday per year
- Discretionary annual bonus scheme
- Pension scheme – employer matched contributions up to 4%
- Life assurance scheme worth at least 1x annual salary
- Subsidised canteen
- Free parking
- Free turkey or voucher at Christmas
- apetito perks scheme including salary sacrifice options and retail discounts
Our Values
As a family-owned business, we take great pride in being a company that makes a real difference and is dedicated to creating outstanding meals to be proud of. We develop a range of products designed to enhance health and well-being for all our customers. We are driven by a passion for service and dedicated to feeding some of the UK’s most vulnerable people.
We proudly support British food and farming, focusing on using the best ethical and sustainable produce in alignment with our goal to reach Net Zero by 2040. Our ethical standards are recognised by the ETI and we are an accredited Living Wage employer. We embrace inclusion, empowering individuals from diverse backgrounds. Our commitment to making a real difference extends to customers, communities, and staff and we’re on a mission to build an inclusive workplace where everyone reaches their full potential.
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Continuous Improvement Engineer Undergraduate Placement employer: apetito
Contact Detail:
apetito Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Continuous Improvement Engineer Undergraduate Placement
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarize yourself with lean manufacturing principles and Six Sigma methodologies. Understanding these concepts will not only help you in your role but also show us that you're proactive and ready to contribute to our continuous improvement projects.
✨Tip Number 2
Engage with your university's career services or engineering department to find out about any relevant workshops or networking events. Meeting professionals in the field can provide insights into what we value in candidates and may even lead to a referral.
✨Tip Number 3
Consider reaching out to current or former placement students at apetito through LinkedIn. They can share their experiences and tips on how to stand out during the selection process, giving you an edge over other applicants.
✨Tip Number 4
Showcase your analytical skills by preparing to discuss any relevant projects or coursework where you've worked with large data sets. Being able to articulate your problem-solving approach will resonate well with us during the interview.
We think you need these skills to ace Continuous Improvement Engineer Undergraduate Placement
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Make sure to thoroughly read the job description for the Continuous Improvement Engineer Undergraduate Placement. Understand the key responsibilities and required skills, such as experience with lean methodologies and data analysis.
Tailor Your CV: Customize your CV to highlight relevant coursework, projects, or experiences that align with the role. Emphasize any hands-on experience in engineering or manufacturing processes, as well as your analytical skills.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that showcases your passion for food and engineering. Mention specific projects or experiences that demonstrate your problem-solving abilities and how they relate to the responsibilities of the placement.
Highlight Teamwork and Communication Skills: In your application, emphasize your interpersonal skills and ability to work in a team environment. Provide examples of how you've successfully collaborated with others in past projects or roles.
How to prepare for a job interview at apetito
✨Understand Continuous Improvement Methodologies
Familiarize yourself with lean principles, six sigma, and DMAIC steps. Be prepared to discuss how you can apply these methodologies to improve manufacturing processes during your placement.
✨Show Your Analytical Skills
Since the role involves working with large data sets, be ready to demonstrate your analytical abilities. Prepare examples of how you've analyzed data in the past to identify trends or solve problems.
✨Be Hands-On and Engaged
Express your willingness to work on the shop floor and interact with staff at all levels. Share any previous experiences where you took a hands-on approach to problem-solving in a practical environment.
✨Communicate Effectively
Highlight your communication skills, both oral and written. Be prepared to discuss how you would present data and findings to different stakeholders, ensuring clarity and professionalism.
