Technical Manufacturing Apprentices

Location: Inverness

Job Type: Apprenticeship

About Us

West Fraser is a diversified wood products company with more than 60 facilities in Canada, the United States and Europe. From responsibly sourced and sustainably managed forest resources, the company produces lumber, engineered wood (OSB, LVL, MDF, plywood, particleboard), and other products including pulp, newsprint, wood chips and renewable energy.

Our UK-manufactured products are used extensively in the construction, DIY and furniture sectors. Our brands, SterlingOSB Zero, CaberFloor and CaberMDF, are well known in the construction industry and are commonly specified by architects, national housebuilders and specifiers.

We are proud that as a certified net carbon negative company we lock up more carbon in our products than we emit by making them, helping the UK construction sector comply with net zero targets and beyond.

Our Inverness Mill

Our mill continues to invest in multi-million-pound projects following extensive upgrades over the last 5 years, making us one of the most competitive and largest OSB plants across the globe. Safety is our top priority, and we are proud to have won Safety Awards for two consecutive years.

The Role

We are currently recruiting Technical Manufacturing Apprentices to be based within our multi-million-pound investment plant in Inverness. These are two-year programs consisting of a combination of theoretical learning and practical ‘hands on’ experience. 

Throughout the program students will work closely with the college to build a comprehensive portfolio and will be monitored through continuous assessment. Upon completion of the apprenticeship program, you be qualified as a Production Operator.  The experience you gain will be of great value to your future careers. 

Some of the key responsibilities within this role include:

• Learning and assisting in the operation and maintenance of all plant and machinery to expected standards in accordance with Health and Safety policy of the company.
• Learning and maintaining adequate records in conjunction with the QA manual as required
• Assisting in the monitoring and control working area and carrying out any maintenance and checks as required.
• Assisting in monitoring operating parameters of equipment and maintaining an accurate log of abnormalities and report deviations/process interruptions to relevant personnel
• Assisting in monitoring equipment, ensuring planned maintenance is carried out as per manufacturer recommendations.
• Maintaining a high standard of housekeeping within your working area, promoting safe working environment for all employees and external visitors
• Liaison with other Departments to ensure safe and efficient running of your area
• Learning and actively assisting in co-ordinating and developing hazard identification, risk assessment and creation of Safe systems of work for all tasks with the aim of developing a safe system of work for every task.  Ensuring that the SSOW is used and reviewed as necessary should the task, method, or hazard change
• Ensure that operational EHS procedures are followed and all EHS incidents are reported in a timely manner.

*This list is neither prescriptive nor exhaustive

What We Require from You

• The candidate must have strong health and safety awareness and the ability to work unsupervised.
• Self-motivated, open-minded, pro-active and intuitive.
• High level of integrity in the data being handled within the role.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Time management – reliable, must be able to multi-task and prioritise whilst being flexible and adapting to changes in priorities.

Package
We recognise that our people are our future and the importance of investing in continuous training and development programs.  You will be provided with the opportunity to advance your career, in addition to the following package:

• Starting salary of £18,450
• 30 days holiday per year
• Employee Assistance Program
• 7% Pension
• Simply Health
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Refer a Friend
• Access to occupational health nurse

Your Future

As you progress through your apprenticeship your salary will increase each year and upon successful completion of your apprenticeship, and if successful for a permanent position, the salary be reflected in line with current operators in the same role.

Our Vision and Values

Integrity, humility, teamwork, frugality, innovation, competitiveness, and respect for fellow employees are words that define West Fraser’s organisational culture and the way we do business every day. If you’re interested in developing your career and joining the biggest plant of this type in Europe then we’d love to hear from you. To apply, please send your current CV and a letter of interest to our HR Department – invernesshrteam@westfraser.com