Technical Apprentice

Description:

The Role

Apprenticeship Scope: Main focus is Food Legislation and Specification Management, but will also include Product Quality Assurance, Supplier Quality Assurance, Process & Ingredient Technology.

Reporting to a manager within the KP Snacks Technical Legislation team, the key purpose of the role is to build food legislation & specification management knowledge through a 4 year apprenticeship program. This apprenticeship program will develop broader technical skills and business skills through integration of focused academic based modules (via college release) and practical project / work experience. As part of the personal development program there will also be opportunities for training to develop work based skills – communication, time management etc.

What you'll get from the Apprenticeship:

* Develop knowledge of our manufacturing sites, processes and KP and retailer branded products e.g. potato crisps, vegetable crisps, extruded snacks, sheeted snacks, baked snacks, pelleted snacks, popcorn and nuts.

* Develop knowledge of UK & EU food legislation and policy compliance e.g. food labelling, compositional standards, health & nutrition claims, legal requirements on specific food materials, food safety & hygiene, weights & measures, official controls for import & export.

* Develop knowledge of recipe and specification management. Includes raw material, packaging and product specifications. Both internal specifications and external customer specifications. Learn how to check and approve specifications completed by our suppliers for materials supplied to KP Snacks, generate product specifications for our customers, generate product labelling and approve artwork for packaging. Also the use of various IT systems in place to complete these processes.

* Develop knowledge on health and nutrition issues relevant to our portfolio (e.g. salt, calories, fat, saturated fat, sugar) and both our internal policies and customer policies.

* Develop knowledge on sustainability issues - understanding of the environmental impact of food manufacturing and our sustainable and environmental goals. For example use of sustainably sourced materials like RSPO palm oil, plastic packaging reduction/recycling, food waste reduction.

* Develop technical knowledge on raw materials used for food manufacture (e.g. cereal flours, starches, potato dehydrates), their production processes and functionality within snack foods. Also for packaging materials.

* Develop practical experience of the requirements for new raw material, packaging, supplier and/or product approval including factory trials.

* Develop technical knowledge around site quality principles – understanding quality management i.e. BRC and customer codes of practice and requirements of these food quality accreditations. Demonstrating food safety both practically and through document control, HACCP, GMP, traceability, compliance to specification and ensuring non conformances are closed out effectively. Supporting site teams with audit preparation.

* Develop knowledge around food safety – understand food safety issues e.g. allergens, microbiology, residues & contaminants, process contaminants.

Potential career opportunities after the apprenticeship ends

* Following the technical apprentice program the expectation is that the person will have the experience and knowledge to gain full time employment with the company within any number of technical roles covering either:

* Food Legislation – ensuring that latest food regulations are managed through the business and ensuring that our products meet the most up to date legal and policy requirements.

* Food Quality – ensuring maintenance of site quality and compliance to relevant food quality accreditations e.g BRC, Retailer technical standards.

* Process Development – ensuring continuous improvement agenda is maintained with improved product performance.

* Supplier Quality – ensuring compliance to KP/Intersnack Group technical fundamentals and auditing.

* Retailer Technical Management – customer facing role dealing with major retailers’ own label products. Ensuring the requirements of our retailer customers are managed effectively and in line with our business objectives