Engineering Apprentice
Date: 13 Apr 2026
Location: Leek, GB, ST13 5SP
Company: Ornua Co-operative Limited
Engineering Apprentice
Job title: Engineering Apprentice
Reports to: Maintenance Manager
Location: Ornua Foods UK, Leek (Based at MGTS for year 1 and Ornua Foods for Year 2,3 and 4)
Salary: £20,000 starting salary
Contract: Four-year fixed term contract
Benefits: Company pension scheme, Confidential Employee Assist Programme, Bike and Tech Scheme, Company shop, Subsidised staff canteen, Life Assurance, Udderly Brilliant Discounts and many more
Ornua (meaning “new gold”) is Ireland’s largest exporter of Irish dairy products, proudly bringing the unique taste of Irish dairy to the world for over 55 years.
Are you looking for an Engineering Apprenticeship within a global food manufacturer? Ornua is on the lookout for three proactive, passionate and dynamic engineering apprentices as we continue our growth trajectory.
As our Engineering Apprentice you will work within a team of multi skilled engineers, where you will learn to maintain, repair and improve, complex food processing and packaging machinery. Upon successful completion of a 4-year apprenticeship, you will become a Multi Skilled Maintenance Engineer.
As you progress through your training, you will be involved in the installation, testing, fault finding and the on-going planned maintenance of food processing and packaging equipment. This requires the application of a variety of engineering skills, knowledge, and occupational behaviours across the electrical, electronic, mechanical, fluid power and control systems disciplines. Once trained you will become part of an engineering team that ensure plant and equipment perform to the required standard to meet production targets regarding safety, quality, performance, and cost. As well as routine maintenance, you will also have opportunities to work on various projects to install new and improve existing equipment.
Why Ornua?
- Ornua operates as a commercial organisation from 10 business units worldwide, including 12 production facilities located in Europe, North America, the Middle East and Africa.
- The commercial organisation is responsible for the marketing and sales of Ornua’s consumer brands including Ireland’s most successful food export: Kerrygold.
- It also manages the procurement of Irish and non-Irish dairy products, the sale of dairy ingredients to food manufacturing and foodservice customers globally, and the implementation of de-risking and trading strategies to manage market volatility.
- Our co-operative ethos lies at the heart of how we do business as a purpose and values-led organisation, creating value for Irish dairy farming families.
- Our Values lie at the core of everything we do. Our five values encourage us to Seek and Embrace New Ideas, Make It Happen, Be Our True Selves, Show You Care, and Achieve Great Things Together.
- We invest in our people and foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement.
- Career Progression including Global Mobility opportunities.
- Comprehensive Benefits with regional specific offerings.
Why This Role Is Valuable:
As our Engineering Apprentice you will;
- Complete planned maintenance of equipment and components to ensure reliable service and on target availability
- Provide reactive support to the team as required
- Contribute to zero loss projects and assist in the data capture and analysis ensuring targeted solutions are successful
- Continue the development of the PPM system and ensure a continuous improvement methodology is applied to the planning cycle
- To identify potential hazards/risks to the Health & Safety Manager/responsible person upon discovery and be proactive in ensuring corrective actions are completed in a timely and cost-effective manner
- Provide detailed information on completion of work in the computerised maintenance management system to ensure accurate and concise records for continuous improvement
What You Bring To The Role:
- 5 GCSE’s grades C / 4 and above including English, Maths and Science
- PC competent
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Demonstrate team skills with a positive attitude and professional approach
- Any level of engineering qualification or existing knowledge of engineering principles would be an advantage
Ornua has ambitious growth plans and we’re building a team to help enable and accelerate that growth. We are looking for people who share our values, are curious, forward-looking, take ownership and work together to build a future for themselves and Ornua.
Would you like to make an impact?
To learn more, please visit Ornua at www.ornua.com
Ornua values diversity and inclusion and welcomes applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds. We also strongly encourage women and other underrepresented groups in the manufacturing industry to apply. Your unique perspectives and experiences are highly valued and will be instrumental in driving our company’s continued success. Join us in shaping a more innovative, inclusive, and sustainable future.
Ornua is committed to creating an inclusive and accessible workplace. We will make every effort to provide for any reasonable accessibility needs you may have during your employment with us. If you require accommodations at any stage of the recruitment process or in your role, please let us know — we’re here to support you.
Job Segment:
Sustainable Agriculture, Agriculture