Apprentice Maintenance Engineer in Cornwall

At St Austell Brewery, we don’t just make beer, we craft moments people remember. Behind every pint is a team of skilled engineers ensuring our brewery operates safely, efficiently, and to the highest standards. This is an opportunity to start your engineering career in a hands‑on, fast‑paced food and drink manufacturing environment. As an Apprentice Maintenance Engineer, you will “earn while you learn”, developing into a multi‑skilled engineer capable of maintaining and improving the systems that take our beers from raw ingredients through to finished product.

We are looking for someone who can join us straight away, becoming part of the Engineering team on site, ahead of starting their formal apprenticeship training in September. Over the course of your apprenticeship, you’ll build the technical expertise, practical experience, and professional behaviours needed to become a key part of our Engineering team.

As an Engineering Apprentice, you will complete a 48‑month Level 3 qualification, combining structured learning with real on‑site experience across brewing, packaging, and site utilities. You will gradually develop the capability to:

• Support and deliver planned preventative maintenance (PPM) activities
• Assist in responding to equipment breakdowns and fault finding
• Learn to maintain key site utilities such as steam, CO₂, compressed air, water, and refrigeration systems
• Gain experience across mechanical engineering, welding, fabrication, machining, and electrical installation
• Work safely and compliantly using risk assessments, isolations, and permit systems
• Identify and support the resolution of safety, quality, and hygiene issues
• Contribute to continuous improvement activities across the site

As your skills develop, you will take on increasing responsibility, working towards becoming a fully competent, multi‑skilled engineer operating across a complex manufacturing environment.

We are looking for someone with a genuine interest in engineering and a strong desire to learn and develop a long‑term career in the industry. You will be:

• Passionate about engineering and motivated to learn your trade
• Curious and practical, with an aptitude for technical and mechanical problem solving
• Someone who has explored engineering in your own time (e.g. hands‑on projects, fixing, building, or taking things apart to understand how they work)
• Able to follow processes accurately while also thinking creatively
• Organised, resilient, and able to remain calm under pressure
• A clear and confident communicator who works well as part of a team
• Comfortable using IT systems and learning new technologies
• Able to manage your time effectively and take responsibility for your development

You will also need: GCSE Maths and English at Grade 4 (C) or above. You must be over the age of 18 to be considered for this role. Because this role involves a rotating shift pattern including early shifts and late shifts, we can only accept applications from individuals who are over 18 years of age, to ensure that we do not contravene young persons working regulations.

• A level 3 apprenticeship (equivalent to 2 A Levels)
• 30% off food and drink in our pubs
• 50% off overnight stays in our pubs
• 25 days annual leave, plus bank holidays
• Pension
• Life assurance
• Westfield Health Cash Plan
• Westfield Rewards, including discounts and rewards from hundreds of leading retailers, restaurants, and destinations
• Cycle to work scheme

St Austell Brewery is an Equal Opportunities employer, and we positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates, regardless of age, sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital/civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity. We also welcome requests for flexible working.