Kepak Environmental Practitioner Degree Apprenticeship in Kirkham

Kepak is one of Europe's leading food companies with manufacturing sites across Ireland and the UK. Kepak's vision is to be a successful, sustainable, future-ready Food Business with differentiation at its core, that is a great place to work. This vision is underpinned by our values of Responsibility, Ambition, Passion for Food & Teamwork.

Our Environmental Apprenticeships are designed to give our apprentices a great start to their careers by teaching them the essential skills, knowledge, and behaviours, as well as real job experience, needed to succeed, specifically within our Environmental teams. To support the Foods Environmental Officer in overseeing environmental operations and projects across the site, identifying opportunities for improvement related to environmental aspects, and contributing to the achievement of site, divisional, group, and external environmental targets while ensuring full legal compliance.

• Responsibility: Balancing studying and work duties. This may include using personal time for degree-related activities. Assist with internal, external and legal; daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual environmental data submission. Keeping up to date on relevant and key changes to environmental legislation and requirements. Keeping up to date and research the best available techniques and technologies to ensure most efficient processes, procedures and equipment are being utilized. Supporting maintaining environmental specific policies and procedures in the integrated management system.
• Ambition: Complete degree-level apprenticeship scheme. Attending college, completing assignments, studying in personal time and completing work duties. Support in monitoring, presenting and improving site Environmental data and targets.
• Passion for Food: Use learnings from degree to support in implementing positive environmental and sustainability changes across the sites. You will bring a strong passion for environmental sustainability and a genuine enthusiasm for the food industry, using both to drive effective implementation and positively influence environmental practices across the business.
• Teamwork: Support in the Environmental function of the H,S&E team. They should build their own networks and support those within the organisation. Collaborative approach to working with colleagues across various departments.

Other Role Information

• Travel: This role requires travel to various company locations, offering a dynamic and varied work environment.
• Career Path: Apprentices are expected to progress into an Environmental role, with opportunities to advance to more senior roles as their career progresses, based on performance.

Our Apprenticeship programme allows dynamic, motivated, hardworking, and passionate people, an opportunity to start their career with one of Ireland & UK's leading food businesses. The programme lasts 4 years.

Apprenticeship: BSc (Hons) Environmental Practitioner Degree Apprenticeship, Harper Adams University, Shropshire. Travel and accommodation will be arranged for you.

Entry Requirements: Minimum of three A levels at Grade CCD or higher, their equivalent (in UCAS points) or a Level 3 apprenticeship in a construction or property-related discipline.

You can expect:

• To be fully immersed into our Culture from day 1, working alongside key industry experts and Kepak leaders.
• Gain an in-depth understanding of our brands and products, and our relationships with customers and consumers.
• To learn key aspects of our business, whilst you develop your skills and knowledge.
• The opportunity to develop personally and professionally through exposure to key projects, tasks and development activities that challenge you, all supported by a detailed learner journey and training plan.
• A dedicated mentor and development program to support you both on the programme and into a role that best fits your skills.

Start date: September 7th 2026

Salary Structure: Y1 £20,000 Y2 £22,000 Y3 £25,000 Y4 £28,000

Who are we looking for? We are looking for hardworking and ambitious Apprentices, who want to learn and grow in a challenging and fast-paced environment, by performing real roles as part of your rotations. You must be mobile and willing to travel throughout the programme to undertake development activities at any of our sites in the UK and Ireland.

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience:

• Flexible working approach.
• Travel – travelling long distances to other UK and Irish site and Harper Adams University, Shropshire. (Travel expenses and accommodation covered by Kepak).
• Basic Microsoft Office Skills (Especially Microsoft Excel).
• Good communication skills.
• Passionate for environmental sustainability within the food industry.

Personal Attributes:

• Team Player: Collaborative approach to working with colleagues across various departments.
• Self-Motivation: Driven to succeed and comfortable working independently.
• Confidence & Assertiveness: Able to communicate assertively and stand their ground when addressing quality issues while maintaining amicable relationships with colleagues.
• Adaptability: Flexible and able to adjust to different roles, challenges, and environments.

We will be looking for alignment with our Core Values:

• Responsibility: Ability to work on your own initiative and take accountability for your actions.
• Ambition: You will have the willingness and confidence to challenge yourself to be the best you can be and be driven to succeed.
• Passion for Food: this is at the heart of everything we do, you must be passionate about every aspect of our industry.
• Teamwork: ability to build positive relationships quickly with people from all cultures and career stages is pivotal.

Employee Benefits: Employee Discount Scheme, Service-Related Annual Leave, Discounted Health Insurance, Educational Assistance/L&D, Discounted Meat Products, Cycle to work scheme, Employee assistance programme.