At Warburtons, family is at the heart of our business. Five generations' worth of expertise that goes into making our bakery products allows us to continue a tradition of baking inherited over the past 150 years.Warburtons is the largest bakery brand in the UK, but that doesn't allow us to rest on our laurels. We are pioneers of the industry and ambitious market leaders, always seeking to challenge ourselves and convention. It is part of our philosophy to provide honest good sense on issues of health and well-being, helping the whole family to enjoy our products as part of a healthy, balanced diet, through a range of products to suit all meal occasions, lifestyles and tastes.
Starting Salary of £21,500 per annum, increasing each year, tuition and accommodation fees paid.
Engineers aren’t born, they’re bread, and we’re gearing up to welcome applications for our 2026 Engineering Apprentices to join our family based in our Bolton Bakery. We are looking for our new Apprentices to have a passion for engineering and to be available to join the family in August 2026.
Your first year will be spent attending a full-time residential course with our national training provider, Midland Group Training Services, based in Coventry. Accommodation will be provided in newly built Student accommodation, which is only a short walk from the training facility and will be funded as part of the course. For more information on MGTS click: (url removed) , to view the accommodation, click: Gulson gardens student accommodation.
The Recipe
Our Engineering Apprenticeship will take you on a journey of learning and development over the next 4 years. We will take care of your tuition fees as well as pay you for your hard work. There's no reason to worry about student debt, we've got your bread & butter sorted, all we knead is for you to use your loaf and apply!
As ‘the UK’s No. 1 Bakery Brand’, we have been baking bread since 1876. Today, we are proudly a fifth-generation family, with the introduction of the sixth generation, supplying over 18,000 retail customers from 11 bakeries and 16 depots, producing a range of over 70 products, including gluten and wheat-free. Family and values are what make us different, and we are a proud bunch. Join us and you too could be proud to be Warburtons.
The Apprenticeship programme gives YOU the development and skill set you need for us to shape our future together.
We are inviting Apprenticeship applications NOW in readiness for our selection events in March 2026.
Key Accountabilities and Measures
Our Apprenticeship provides the knowledge, skills, and experience needed for the role of a multi-skilled Maintenance Engineer. These include performing plant maintenance and conducting failure diagnosis, maintenance, repair, and replacement of our highly automated control systems, mechanical, electrical, and production systems, along with learning about food and safety legislation.
Typical things you can expect are:
- A structured 4-year Apprenticeship Programme
- Varied learning through a mixture of on-the-job training with your own Warburtons mentor and working with our training provider (MGTS)
- An apprenticeship that equips you to become a Multi-Skilled Maintenance Engineer
- A varied programme that involves, electrical, mechanical and control engineering
- Learning to fault find and fix mechanical and electrical components, including making and suggesting improvements.
At the successful completion of your Apprenticeship, you'll have achieved your BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering, and you’ll be ready to start your career as a qualified Multi Skilled Engineer with us. This route is just the start of your career and can open the door to many more opportunities, such as Engineering Management and Project Engineering positions at the site or being involved with continuous improvement projects in the head office.
Essential Ingredients
To join our Apprenticeship programme, you'll need the following:
- You’ll be 18 years or over by the 1st September 2026 due to the residential requirement of the first year of study
- Achieved 5 GCSEs (or equivalent) to include a Level 5 or above in Maths, a Level 4 or above in English, and a Level 4 or above in either science or ICT.
- Able to be flexible around work patterns, including shifts, weekends, and evenings (from year 3 onwards)
- You'll have excellent analytical skills and enjoy problem-solving with a logical and structured approach
- Passion, drive, and commitment to complete a 4-year apprenticeship with a genuine interest in Engineering
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Extra Dough
At last and by no means least you will want to know what your breads worth.
- A slice of the annual profits (discretionary profit share)
- Award winning pension scheme with company contributions
- Life assurance
- Products you will love along with deals and discounts for you and the family through our Extra Dough website
- Continued investment in your personal development
- Fully stocked kitchens filled with our delicious products for you to enjoy with your daily brew!
- Support for your health and wellbeing, including access to free physiotherapy, 24/7 access to a confidential helpline for practical advice and a comprehensive occupational health service
