Trainee Machine Operator

  • Apprenticeship Reference: 2777184370-2
  • Date Posted: 18 May 2026
  • Apprentice Employer: Emmerson Ross Recruitment
  • Location: Paignton, Devon
  • Apprentice Pay: £29,375
  • Apprenticeship Sector: Health and Safety, Manufacturing
  • Apprenticeship Type: Permanent
  • Work Hours: Full Time

About this Apprenticeship

We re recruiting for a Trainee Machine Operator to join a global leader in print production.

This Trainee Machine Operator role is ideal for candidates from warehouse, production, manufacturing, assembly, or other hands-on environments who are looking to learn new skills and build a long-term career in manufacturing.

No previous Machine Operator experience is required as full training will be provided. This is a fantastic opportunity to progress into a skilled Print Operator position within a growing manufacturing business.

About the Role

As a Trainee Machine Operator, you ll learn how to operate specialist production machinery, maintain quality standards, and support the manufacturing process within a busy production environment.

Key Responsibilities

  • Learn to set up and operate production machinery
  • Monitor production output and complete quality checks
  • Clean and maintain machines and work areas
  • Record production information
  • Report faults or issues to supervisors
  • Follow health and safety procedures
  • Develop new technical and manufacturing skills through training

About You

We re looking for someone who is:

  • Keen to learn and develop new skills
  • Reliable with a strong work ethic
  • Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment
  • A good team player with attention to detail
  • Confident using basic computer systems

Salary & Benefits

  • £25,000 during the 1 to 3 month training period depending on how quickly the role is picked up. Once training is completed, employees move onto the permanent evening shift with an annual salary of £29,375 including 17.5% shift premium
  • Overtime paid at 1.33x
  • Annual company bonus
  • Pension scheme
  • Enhanced sick pay
  • Health and wellbeing programme
  • 20 days holiday plus bank holidays (equivalent to 25 days based on a standard 5-day working week)
  • Birthday day off
  • Free on-site parking
  • Cycle to Work scheme

Working Hours (4-day week, Monday to Thursday)

Training Period

Day shifts:

  • Monday to Wednesday: 06:30 to 16:30
  • Thursday: 06:30 to 16:00

Permanent Shift Pattern (after training)

Evening shifts:

  • Monday to Wednesday: 16:00 to 02:00
  • Thursday: 15:30 to 01:00

If you re looking for a new challenge and want to start a career as a Trainee Machine Operator with full training provided, we d love to hear from you.