Apprentice- Paint Technician: L3 (Ilford), 2024

Req ID:448193 

Appointment Basis: Fixed Term

Location: Ilford, IG1 4BP

Application Deadline: 15th May 2024

To Apply: go to “Career Opportunities” in ALPS

Alstom is the UK & Ireland’s leading supplier of new trains and train services, and a leading signalling and rail infrastructure provider. Alstom have built, or are building, just under 40% of the UK mainline train fleet; as well as the entire fleets in service with London Underground, and Dublin Luas.

We provide the widest range of smart solutions in the rail market, from innovative high-speed rolling stock, metros and trams to maintenance, modernisation, infrastructure and signalling.

Employing 6000 people, we design and build trains at Derby, the UK’s largest train factory; and operate major sites at Widnes, Crewe, Ilford and Plymouth, and 30 train services depots across the UK and Ireland.  

This is an exciting opportunity to join a world leading engineering company where you will be working alongside qualified and experienced staff. We have a well-established and long-term apprenticeship programme through which we offer strong continuous development opportunities, together with significant levels of support, mentoring and coaching.

Alstom deliver major railway projects across the globe and have recently been vital in the delivery of Crossrail, and HS2 (enabling projects) in the UK. In addition, we have been awarded by Network Rail, two significant major signalling frameworks and you will be part of the team that will be delivering Contracts awarded under those Frameworks.

Joining us means becoming a vital part of a caring, responsible, and innovative company where more than 80,000 people lead the way to greener and smarter mobility, worldwide.

About The Role: 

This role is based at our Ilford depot. 

We have an opportunity for a Paint Technician Apprentice to join our multinational company.

As part of your day to day life as a Paint Technician Apprentice, you be learning about and supporting the operation in the parts and vehice paint activities carried out on site- this will include both internal and external vehicle preparation and paint. As a fully integrated team member of the Ilford HM Operations team, you will be working within a dedicated paint facility using the latest equipment.

You will also be working as part of a multifunctional team responsible for ensuring all operations they do are carried out to the detail proess documentation to the required standards in a timely and professional manner. 

As part of the apprenticeship programme, you will complete a Level 3 Vehicle Damage Paint Technician Apprenticeship, and will attend college on block release to complete the academic side. Over the 3-year programme, you will be combining the academic studies with real life work based experience across our organisation which will give you the opportunity to build and gather evidence of your competence whilst working towards a formal qualification.

Joining the team at Alstom will mean working on real assignments and gaining hands-on experience from day one, with the chance to build a personal network across the business.

This three year apprenticeship programme is the start of your progression into technical expert roles. When not occupied in the paint facility the apprentices will be working in Workshop A carrying out spot repairs and polishing activities using a variety of hand tools and equipment.

Your day to day activities can include:

• Understanding and following work instructions, livery diagrams and schedule of finish drawings
• Following Health & Safety procedures to maintain working safely in a Railway environment
• Becoming competent with the use of required PPE and RPE equipment, panel repair Hand / Air / Electric & Battery tools, and the use of all spray equipment including cleaning and maintaining regimes and requirements.
• Being able to understand the complexity of paint and priming materials and how they act in different environments. This includes curing times, material schemes for the use on different substrates, COSHH assessments and how to use, store and dispose of hazardous materials.
• Complete small / medium repairs to substrates, Steel, Aluminum, Plastic and GRP.
• Able to apply the following paint materials, 1K Primer, 2K Epoxy Primer, water based & 2K base coats, water based & 2K Top Coats (HydroCoat). These materials will be applied to full bodyside panels as well as local spot repairs.
• Ability to complete 3 stage polish of factory finished paint to high standard and polishing to a wide variety of spot repairs.

Entry Requirements:

• GCSE or equivalent in 5 subjects including Maths, English and Science at Grades 5-9

Candidates will also need to have strong attention to detail and initiative, with strong teamwork and communication skills. 

As part of the application process, you will need to answer a series of mandatory questions; please allocate a few minutes in going through them and answering, as they are the first shift out step. If you have successfully completed your application, a follow up e-mail will come through in a few days, explaining in detail the next steps of the selection process (online test, online interview, Assessment Centre), together with approximate timelines for each.

We wish you the best of luck for all the steps and look forward to getting to know you!

Alstom is the leading company in the mobility sector, solving the most interesting challenges for tomorrow’s mobility. That’s why we value inquisitive and innovative people who are passionate about working together to reinvent mobility, making it smarter and more sustainable. Day after day, we are building an agile, inclusive, and responsible culture, where a diverse group of people are offered opportunities to learn, grow and advance in their careers, with options across functions and geographic locations. Are you ready to join a truly international community of great people on a challenging journey with a tangible impact and purpose?

Equal opportunity statement:

Alstom is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive working environment where all our employees are encouraged to reach their full potential, and individual differences are valued and respected.  All qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by local law. 

As a “disability confident leader accredited employer”, we will interview all disabled job applicants who match the essential criteria of the job description or specification. We will consider flexible working requests for all roles unless operational requirements prevent otherwise.

The apprentice programmes are not eligible for visa sponsorship as they do not meet the minimum requirements of the Home Office.