With a heritage stretching back over 150 years, we have trained our own skilled engineers for more than 100 years, with over 50% of current employees having been trained in-house, including members of our senior leadership team.
Our site is also home to the North Cambs Training Centre (NCTC), providing exceptional facilities for the next generation to develop the traditional and advanced manufacturing skills they will need to embark on rewarding, long-term careers in the sector.
Metalcraft’s multi-award-winning apprenticeship programme is aimed at people who wish to gain experience and qualifications through practical and theoretical skills and work-based activities. Our programme takes four years to complete and provides:
- A competitive starting salary (with opportunities to increase this salary as your skills develop)
- A focused learning programme (pushing you outside of your comfort zone)
- Training at our on-site, state-of-the-art training facility the North Cambs Training Centre – a purpose-built building specialising in engineering and advanced manufacturing skills, including robotics, automation and composite materials manufacturing
- Excellent career progression potential (including further study and opportunities to climb the ranks within the workplace)
- Paid holiday
Metalcraft’s Level 3 apprenticeship covers a range of topics relating to the skills required by our business. These include:
- Producing components using hand fitting techniques
- Producing sheet metal components and assemblies
- Producing mechanical engineering drawings using CAD system
- Prepping and using manual TIG or plasma-arc welding equipment
- 3 compulsory units, including Health & safety
- Functional skills in English and Maths at Level 1 (if required)
All qualifications are delivered at college on day-release basis.
Year 1
Gaining skills in:
- Machining
- Fitting & Hand Tools
- Fabrication
- Welding
Year 2
Specific training to develop core skills in:
- Manual machining
- CNC machining
- Fabrication
- Welding
- Inspection, product engineering
Year 3
Focussed, skill-specific training:
- Develop your skills further in a workshop setting
Year 4
Becoming a skilled operator and improving competence:
- Honing your focus skills in a workshop setting
* Metalcraft considers applications for higher-level apprenticeships on a case-by-case basis. If you would like to find out more, please contact us.
Our apprentice trainer, Neil Kirby has over 40 years experience, and is also apprentice trained. Neil’s style of teaching combines practical, hands on experience and mentoring support to underpin the skills you will learn.
Neil’s aim is to instil a sense of pride in the apprentices work and achievements and to teach them to gain job satisfaction on a task that has been completed well.
We offer a traditional engineering apprenticeship combined with today’s technology that the industry dictates.
We work with one of the largest training providers in the region, West Suffolk College, which has an exceptional track record developing the skills and talents of our students.
This is achieved through a combination of great teaching by a team of highly-trained, industry-experienced staff and excellent facilities designed to prepare students for employment and further study.
At college you’ll be treated like an adult, gain independence, explore and broaden your interests, pursue your goals and meet lifelong friends.
To qualify for our programme you should have gained or are expected to gain a C or above grade GCSE’s in Maths, English and Science
Applications open from 1 November to 31 May every year for a September start.
Please complete the application form to apply.
We will acknowledge receipt of your application. If you have applied via the link and have not received a response from us within one week, please forward the downloadable application form to infoline@metalcraft.co.uk
If your application is successful, you will be invited to attend an assessment centre here at our Chatteris site. We will set you a number of tasks so you can show us how you work under pressure, as part of a team, and on your own.
Good luck!