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Instrument Machining Services Ltd
Instrument Machining Services Ltd is a small company located on the outskirts of Thetford that prides itself not only on the high-quality parts it produces for the aerospace industry but also on the clean work environment in which it operates.
Wage
£15,912 a year
Training Course
Machining technician (level 3)
Hours
- Monday - Thursday: 8:00am - 4:30pm
- Friday: 7:30am - 11:30am
36 hours a week
Start Date
Monday 24 August 2026
Duration
3 years 6 months
Positions Available
1
What You'll Do at Work
The successful candidate will be working alongside current CNC engineers in the factory, reporting to the factory floor team leader. The day-to-day responsibilities will include but are not limited to:
- Helping to keep the machines producing high-quality parts
- Inspecting parts to ensure they are correct to drawing
- Ensuring the area is neat and tidy
- Assisting with deburring parts to meet high customer standards
- Upholding and adhering to all health and safety policies at all times
- Reporting any issues to the factory floor team leader or senior members of staff
- Ensuring all requirements set out by the college are met
Where You'll Work
37 Howlet Way
Thetford
IP24 1HZ
What You'll Learn
- Comply with statutory health and safety regulations and procedures
- Comply with environmental, ethical, and sustainability regulations and procedures: safe disposal of waste, recycling or reuse of materials, and efficient use of resources
- Prepare and set up conventional or CNC machines
- Operate and adjust conventional or CNC machines
- Apply risk assessment and hazard identification processes and procedures in the work area
- Monitor, obtain, and check stock and supplies, and complete stock returns
- Record information (paper-based or electronic): energy usage, job sheets, risk assessments, equipment service records, test results, handover documents, manufacturers' documentation, asset management records, worksheets, checklists, waste environmental records, and any legal reporting requirements
- Read and interpret information: data and documentation used to produce machined components
- Apply engineering, mathematical, and scientific principles
- Plan and organize own work and resources
- Follow and apply inspection, quality assurance procedures and processes
- Select machining process
- Select and set up tooling and work holding devices
- Set and adjust machine operating parameters: setting feeds and speeds for roughing and finishing operations, loading, proving, and validating programs when using a CNC machine tool
- Apply machining operations and techniques to produce complex components with features: parallel, stepped, angular diameters and faces, grooves, slots, recesses and undercuts, radii and chamfers, internal and external forms and profiles, reamed, bored, drilled, and electro-eroded holes, internal and external screw threads
- Measure and check components
- Select and check condition of tools and equipment: identify issues, resolve, and take action as needed
- Identify and action issues in the manufacturing process
- Apply fault-finding and diagnostic testing procedures to identify faults: diagnose and resolve issues, escalate issues
- Maintain the work area and return any resources and consumables
- Communicate with others verbally: colleagues and stakeholders
- Follow machine shut down, safe isolation, handover, start up, or warm-up procedures: escalate issues
- Apply continuous improvement techniques: devise suggestions for improvement
- Apply ethical principles
- Apply team working principles
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Training Schedule
The learner will be studying the Machining Technician Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard qualification. Functional skills will be studied if equivalent qualifications are not held.
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Essential Qualifications
- GCSE or equivalent in:
- Maths and English (grade 5-9)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Some aspects of the job can be repetitive, and it can sometimes take a long time to get the parts to the high standard that we expect.
We are a small company located on the outskirts of Thetford that prides itself not only on the high-quality parts it produces for the aerospace industry but also on the clean work environment in which it operates.
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay.
Upon completion of your Apprenticeship, there may be the opportunity for a full-time role as a CNC setter operator.
Contact Information
WEST SUFFOLK COLLEGE
Amelia Castle
jo.pine@easterneducationgroupac.uk
01284 412350
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000034358.
Closes in 9 days (Friday 24 July 2026)
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