On a mineral products technician apprenticeship course, you’ll help ensure that sufficient materials and products are available to meet customer requirements.
Quarrying, concrete manufacture, cement production, cementitious products, asphalt production, asphalt laying, and clay production are only a few mineral extractive sectors where a mineral products technician could work.
Your apprenticeship will concentrate on one of the specialisations since you’ll require a deep understanding of the technical components of the mining extraction industry in which you work.
You’ll ensure that you have adequate supplies and commodities on hand to meet your customers’ demands, as well as that all health, safety, environmental, and quality laws are adhered to. In addition, you’ll keep an eye on operations to ensure they’re running smoothly, manage production to meet customer needs, and optimise output while maintaining high-quality facilities.
Regularly, you’ll interact with employees from many departments, including managers, contract labour, customers, and members of the general public. This generally requires creating a balance between indoor and outdoor work and keeping an eye on and performing operational tasks.
What you’ll learn
On a mineral products technician apprenticeship course, you’ll learn to:
- Train others in conducting full risk assessments, licence to operate procedures, and fully investigating and evaluating health, safety, and environmental accidents and incidents, reporting findings, and making improvements.
- Gather, analyse, and use team information to make crucial operational decisions throughout the site.
- Ascertain that all employees adhere to operating procedures following quality control plans and policies.
- Develop and publish technical reports that meet the firm’s requirements, such as process and service optimisation and continuous improvement.
- Increase resource efficiency, generate more raw materials, and assure resource sustainability.
- Ascertain that product quality meets European and client requirements and that the production process is optimised to achieve these objectives cost-effectively while maintaining end-use applications.
- Ascertain that all test equipment is properly maintained, used, and calibrated and that relevant records are kept.
- Conduct all necessary legislative and procedural inspections at the quarry, processing plant, and other locations, recording the findings and taking action as required. Inspections performed by third-party experts – can comprehend, prioritise, and execute recommendations.
- Demonstrate an understanding of how to choose and use different fuel types to maximise thermal efficiency while reducing environmental impact.
- Manage the health, safety, and ecological risks associated with the production, transportation, and use of asphalt mixtures
- Supervise the extraction, transportation, and storage of clay raw materials following industry standards.
Entry requirements
You’ll usually need:
- Depending on the employer, but likely A-levels or equivalent qualifications or relevant experience.
- Apprentices without level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this level before taking the end-point assessment.
Assessment methods
The End Point Assessment consists of two distinct assessment methods:
- Professional discussion
- A project comprising of technical health and safety report, presentation with questioning
Duration, level, subjects and potential salary upon completion
- Duration: 36 months
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Level: 5 – Higher Apprenticeship
- Relevant school subjects: DT and science
- Potential salary upon completion: £30,000
Apprenticeship standard
More information about the Level 5 Mineral Products Technician Apprenticeship standard can be found here.
Apprenticeship end point assessment
For more information about the End Point Assessment Process, please read the Institute of Apprenticeships’ information page.