Apprenticeship Programmes
Proud to earn while you learn
As the leading provider of fresh prepared food in the UK, we believe in investing in the future by bringing new talent into our organisation. Our apprentices are key to that talent pipeline!
As a Bakkavor apprentice, you will get access to a wide range of career pathways in different areas of our business. From Engineering and Manufacturing Operations to Business, HR, Finance or IT, you’ll get your future off to a flying start. We will invest in your future with us, by supporting you to gain a recognised qualification and earn a competitive salary for doing a real job from day one, with great on and off the job training. At the end of your programme, if you have successfully completed your apprenticeship and achieved the performance targets that we’ve set for you then you are guaranteed a permanent role with us. So, what are you waiting for? Come and start your career journey with us!
Opportunities Available
Our award winning Apprenticeship Programmes are now open for applications at the following locations:
London
Cumberland (Meals):
1 x Higher Manufacturing - Level 4 Process Leader
1 x Advanced Health & Safety – Level 3 Safety, Health & Environment Technician
1 x Advanced Supply Chain - Level 2 Supply Chain Practitioner
Premier Park (Meals):
1 x Advanced Warehouse & Logistics – Level 3 Supply Chain Practitioner
Lincolnshire
Boston, (Meals):
1 x Higher Manufacturing - Level 4 Process Leader
Sutton Bridge, (Meals):
1 x Higher Manufacturing - Level 4 Process Leader
North West
Wigan, (Meals):
1 x Advanced Technical - Level 3 Food Technologist
Other UK
Highbridge, SOMERSET, (Bakery):
1 x Higher Finance - Level 4 Professional Accounting Technician
1 x Advanced Technical - Level 3 Food Technologist
Devizes, WILTSHIRE, (Bakery):
1 x Advanced Engineer - Level 3 Food & Drink Maintenance Engineer
Bo’ness, SCOTLAND, (Meals):
1 x Food Technology – Level 6 SCQF Food & Drink Operations
1 x Accountancy - Level 6 SCQF Accounting (AAT Approved)
Engineering
Do you like problem solving? As an organisation that uses highly automated equipment and technology to produce a wide range of the UK’s best loved food products, you will learn how to maintain that machinery and equipment, finding and resolving faults to optimise production levels. You will conduct planned and predictive maintenance to prevent issues occurring, as well as reactive maintenance, responding to breakdowns. You will also contribute to the installation and decommissioning of equipment.
You will work as part of a team or alone, depending on the task - On a daily basis you will interact with other technicians and engineers, as well as with operational and site teams, and colleagues from Technical, Development, Finance & Planning. You will get involved in technical performance reviews and continuous improvement activities.
You will learn how to employ engineering practices that ensure food safety in line with food safety legislation, keeping machinery and equipment running to meet production needs and outputs. You will ensure that our practices comply with food safety, health, and safety, environmental, sustainability, and engineering regulations and standards, as well as taking account of business operation considerations such as cost and service level agreements.
Our Engineering Apprentices do their off the job training, all together, in 6-week blocks with our partner, Birmingham Metropolitan College, (BMet). BMet have worked closely with us to create a dynamic programme that covers the knowledge, skills and behaviours required by the national standard, as well as added value activities that cover Bakkavor’s own processes.
This is a 4-year Advanced Apprenticeship, during which you’ll complete a Level 3 Food & Drink Maintenance Engineer apprenticeship standard: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/food-and-drink-maintenance-engineer-v1-1
Manufacturing
Are you organised, with good planning, analytical and communication skills? Do you think you could be a future operations manager?
A Manufacturing apprenticeship is an ideal opportunity if you are interested in all the different stages involved in efficient food production and the distribution of quality products. It will give you a clear understanding of our key manufacturing processes including resource and people management, planning and production, and safe machinery operation.
This is a 2-year Higher apprenticeship, where you will either do the Level 4 Process Leader apprenticeship standard, or the Level 5 Operations/Department Manager apprentice standard, both delivered for us by our partner, the National Centre for Food Manufacturing, (NCFM) at the University of Lincoln. Both standards support individuals who are working towards managing teams and/or projects, and achieving operational or departmental goals and objectives, as part of the delivery of Bakkavor’s strategy.
NCFM have built two amazing programmes for us - apprentices will undertake modules such as: Managing Self & Others, Food Sector Business, Finance, People & Performance; Project Management & Management of Change; Health & Safety, Energy & The Environment; Food Science. All modules compliment/ align with the requirements of the standard: Level 4 Process Leader https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/process-leader-v1-0
Level 5 Operations/Departmental Manager https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/operations-or-departmental-manager-v1-2
Human Resources
Do you have great communication and organisational skills? At Bakkavor, we know that our people are our greatest asset, so the support that HR delivers to frontline managers and employees is invaluable.
If you do the Level 3 HR Support Apprentice, you will learn how to handle day to day queries and provide HR advice. You will work on a range of HR processes, ranging from transactional to relatively complex, from recruitment through to retirement; using HR systems to keep records; providing relevant HR information to the business; working with the business on HR changes. Eventually you will be responsible for providing advice to managers on a wide range of HR issues using company policy and current law, giving guidance that is compliant and where errors could expose the organisation to employment tribunals or legal risk. You will receive hands on training in all aspects of the role. For more details about the Level 3 apprenticeship standard, please click on the link: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/hr-support-v1-1
If you do the Level 5 HR Business Partner apprenticeship standard, we will train you to develop HR expertise so that you are able to provide support across a range of HR areas. Ultimately you will be trained to make decisions and recommendations about what the organisation can or should do in a specific situation. You will work with managers to bring best practise into the organisation and could lead people related elements of business and/ or specific HR projects, linking the work that you do to the context and priorities of the business. You will work closely with all areas of the business.
You will undertake research and analysis and will present HR business data (both internal and external) to provide insight, support solutions to business issues and track performance. You will learn how to lead the improvement of people capability within the business, and how to lead the HR contribution to business projects and change programmes to support positive behavioural, business, or organisational change. You will build effective working relationships with business managers (using the language of the business), peers and other HR functions, together with relevant external organisations. For more information about this standard, please click on the link: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/hr-consultant-partner-v1-1
Both the Level 3 Advanced HR Support apprenticeship standard and the Level 5 Higher HR Business Partner apprenticeship standard are 2-year programmes.
Finance
Do you have a good eye for detail? Do you have an analytical mind and like to work with numbers?
Finance underpins everything we do at Bakkavor. As a Finance Apprentice you’ll receive hands-on training in management accounting, accounts, transactional processing, and other key areas. Working closely with all business areas, you’ll support with budgeting, project financing, governance, and overheads.
If you do the Level 3 Assistant Accountant apprenticeship standard, you will be trained to assist in day-to-day financial activities such as data entry to month end management accounts and/or year-end financial statements. In addition, you may be involved in regulatory financial requirements such as the completion of VAT returns or assisting in the preparation of tax computations. You will provide support to internal and external customers: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/assistant-accountant-v1-1
If you do the Level 4 Professional Accounting Technician apprenticeship standard you will have responsibility for creating, and/or verifying and reviewing, accurate and timely financial information, to meet relevant ethical, professional, and legal standards, and will utilise your knowledge of our business systems and processes, as well as standard accounting and tax practices: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/professional-accounting-or-taxation-technician-v1-1
Both the Level 3 Assistant Accountant apprenticeship standard and the Level 4 Higher Professional Accounting Technician apprenticeship standards are 2-year programmes.
Food Technology
Are you passionate about food? As a Food Technologist you’ll make sure the food on consumers’ plates is safe to eat. You’ll receive hands-on training in process design and food science focused on food safety legislation and quality standards. Working alongside other business areas, you’ll learn how a kitchen concept is made ‘real’ and manage the process through to see a product hit retailers’ shelves. By the end of your programme, you will be able to utilise your food science knowledge to ensure the smooth transition of food products from factory to fork ensuring that technical and quality standards are achieving whilst maximising profitability to meet customer requirements.
This is a 2-year Apprenticeship.
Advanced apprentices will complete a Level 3 Food Technologist apprenticeship standard: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/food-technologist-v1-0
Higher apprentices will complete either:
Level 4 Quality Practitioner apprenticeship standard: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/quality-practitioner-v1-0
or Level 5 Operations/Departmental Manager apprenticeship standard: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/operations-or-departmental-manager-v1-2
Product Development
Are you innovative, with a real passion for food?
New product development keeps us ahead of the market. As the UK’s leading producer of fresh prepared foods, we have a keen focus on innovation, developing new products, refreshing existing ones, exploring ingredients and designing packaging….but it’s about much more than just cooking products in the kitchen! You’ll get to know the detail of each raw ingredient. You’ll identify gaps in the market and trends, and you’ll develop ideas and recipes that turn into must-have products.
This is a 2-year Apprenticeship.
Advanced apprentices will complete a Level 3 Food Technologist apprenticeship standard: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/food-technologist-v1-0
Higher apprentices will complete either:
Level 4 Process Leader apprenticeship standard: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/process-leader-v1-0
or Level 5 Operations/Departmental Manager apprenticeship standard: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/operations-or-departmental-manager-v1-2
Information Technology
Have you tried turning it off then on again??
IT plays a vital role in the Bakkavor infrastructure. Keeping our systems operating enables our factories to run and our colleagues to stay connected. As an IT Apprentice you’ll receive training specific to the team you’re working with, but you’ll communicate with all areas of the business, at all levels.
You will do one of the following standards, according to which team you join:
The Level 4 Cyber Security Technologist apprenticeship standard: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/cyber-security-technologist-2021-v1-0
The Level 4 Network Engineer apprenticeship standard: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/network-engineer-v1-2
Supply Chain
Do you have a passion for data analysis and an eye for detail? Do you want to support us to develop and innovate our supply chain process?
At Bakkavor, production never stops. We need to plan, manufacture, and deliver onto shelves as quickly as possible so our customers are never disappointed. Our Supply Chain apprentices play a crucial role in this. Working as part of a team, you’ll receive hands on training in our end-to-end supply chain processes.
This is a 2-year apprenticeship.
Advanced apprentices will complete a Level 3 Supply Chain Practitioner apprenticeship standard. We will give you an in depth understanding of our entire supply chain. We will support you to develop strong relationship building, influencing, stakeholder management and communication skills, as well as your ability to analyse information quickly. By the end of your programme, you will understand the impact that the supply chain has on each function of the business. You will learn how to prioritise the flow of products, solve day to day problems, as well as how to use continuous improvement techniques to improve performance in the FMCG supply chain: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/supply-chain-practitioner-fast-moving-consumer-good-previously-operator-manager-v1-0
Higher apprentices will complete a Level 4 Process Leader apprenticeship standard, learning how to undertake and direct production activities and operations and deliver against core production Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). You will learn how to effectively lead and manage large teams as well as providing technical/specialist input and direction to your own team and to others. Eventually you will have responsibility for determining and managing budgets and resources, using core production KPIs as the basis of the continuous improvement cycle: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/process-leader-v1-0
Continuous Improvement
Do you have an inquisitive mindset? Do you enjoy finding new and better ways of doing things, using information from a variety of sources?
Bakkavor is continually looking to improve its manufacturing systems and processes. This exciting opportunity will expose you to all areas of the business where you will learn about Continuous Improvement tools and techniques, including Root Cause Analysis, Lean Methodologies, as well as various methods of data analysis. You will work as part of an operational team to resolve problems, preventing re-occurrence, engaging others in issues affecting them and to support the improvement of performance. You will work with functional teams across the business to identify opportunities for improvements in our systems and processes, you will initiate and facilitate improvements, and you will provide advice to colleagues on business improvement methods and basic tools that they can use.
This continuous improvement programme is a great opportunity to develop skills that are highly sought after, by Bakkavor, in today’s competitive environment.
Level 3 Advanced Improvement Technician apprenticeship standard: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/improvement-technician-v1-1
Business Administrator
We have Business administrators across the organisation who develop, implement, maintain, and improve administrative services. Our administrators contribute to the efficiency of our organisation, through support of functional areas, working across teams and resolving issues as requested. The flexibility and responsiveness required by the role will allow the apprentice to develop a wide range of skills.
Essentially, the responsibilities of the role are to support and engage with specific parts of the organisation and interact with internal and/or external customers, with a focus on adding value, but the real flavour of the role will come from the team you are working with. So, for example, if you work with Early Careers you will get to know all about the organisation’s talent pipeline, as well as engagement and onboarding of graduates and apprentices. If you work in the Commercial function, you will find out all about our external customers, our commercial systems and processes and will gain real insights into the UK grocery retail market. If you work in the HR team, you will learn all about recruitment and people related policies and procedures etc.
You will be expected to undertake the role efficiently and with integrity – showing a positive attitude. The role involves demonstrating strong communication skills (both written and verbal) and adopting a proactive approach to developing skills. The business administrator is also expected to show initiative, managing priorities and own time, problem-solving skills, decision-making and the potential for people management responsibilities through mentoring or coaching others.
This is a 2 year programme, during which time you will undertake the Level 3 Advanced Business Administrator standard: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/business-administrator-v1-0
Safety, Health & Environment
Are you a great communicator? Do you trust your own judgement, but know when to seek advice from others? Are you interested in safe systems of work, as well as reviewing the effects that manufacturing practices might be having on the environment? This might be the apprenticeship for you!
At Bakkavor, people are our greatest asset, and the safety of our people is our number one priority. As a part of the health & safety team, you will work to help prevent workplace accidents and injuries, as well as recognise and mitigate risks to protect our employees. You'll work with all areas of the business to support the embedding of our Health, Safety & Environmental values, and procedures, so good communication skills are essential. On a daily basis you will support the team to develop, review and check on the implementation of safe systems of work, deliver training (e.g., toolbox talks & inductions), investigate incidents, analyse data, and present findings to the management team. You will spend some time in the office environment and lots of time in the factories providing advice to others on how to work without harming themselves or others.
This is a 2 year programme, during which time you will study the Level 3 Safety, Health & Environment Technician apprenticeship standard: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/safety-health-and-environment-technician-v1-2
More Information
Proud to know your stuff
What apprenticeships do you have available?
We offer two levels of Apprenticeship:
- Advanced (Level 3) Apprenticeships
- Higher (Level 4 or 5) Apprenticeships
How much do apprentices get paid?
Our Advanced Apprentices start on £16,000 rising to £18,000 in year 2.
(Engineering Advanced Apprentices are on a 4 year Pay Scale: Year 1 - £16k, Year 2 - £22k, Year 3 - £28k, Year 4 - £33k).
Our Higher Apprentices start on £17,500 and rise to £19,500 in year 2.
Which college will I attend? Will I get a choice?
We have partnerships with several universities, colleges, and training providers around the country. It depends on which programme you’re doing at which site. We will select the most suitable training provider for you.
Will I have to go to college/ a training provider one day a week?
It depends on which apprenticeship you do, and which training provider does your off the job training. Some apprentices do off the job training one day a week, others do one week each month and others do block release.
How much will my training cost?
There is no cost to you - Your training costs will be funded by Bakkavor.
Will I get moved around different sites during my apprenticeship?
No, you will stay on one site, however you can apply to move to another site once you have completed your apprenticeship.
Am I guaranteed a job at the end of my apprenticeship?
Yes, if you successfully complete your qualification and are performing well in your role, then you’re guaranteed a permanent role with us.
Will I get a qualification as part of my apprenticeship?
The apprenticeship itself is a qualification.
Some have additional qualifications such as CIPD, CIMA, AAT or HEC’s.
What qualifications will I need to do an apprenticeship?
For our Advanced Apprenticeships, you will need 5 GCSEs at grade 4/ grade C) or above including Maths & English. (You will need a minimum grade 5/grade C in Maths to do Engineering).
For our Higher Apprenticeships you will need 3 A levels at grade A* - C, as well as Maths and English at GCSE at A* - C/ 9 - 5
OUR PEOPLE
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OUR PEOPLE
Meet the people behind the products and learn why they’re the secret to our success.
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