Location:  West Yorkshire

Polymer Manufacturing apprentices are at the heart of modern production. Working with materials such as plastics and rubber, and using a range of advanced machinery and processing techniques, they play a key role in producing high-quality components used across industries including medical, automotive, and consumer goods.

If you’re looking for a hands-on, technical career where you can work with machinery, materials, and real production processes, this apprenticeship could be your next step.

Working With Our Ambitious Employers

At Tiro, we partner with ambitious, forward-thinking manufacturers to create genuinely unique apprenticeship opportunities.

Our employer partners are committed to developing future manufacturing professionals by offering meaningful, hands-on experience in real production environments. As a Polymer Manufacturing apprentice, you’ll gain practical exposure to machinery, materials, and manufacturing processes while earning and building the foundations of a long-term career through the Level 3 Polymer Processing apprenticeship.

We’re looking for individuals who are ready to get stuck in, take responsibility, and develop specialist skills in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

A Polymer Manufacturing Technician is a specialist in polymer processing, responsible for setting up, operating, and optimising machinery to produce high-quality components. Working with materials such as plastics and rubber in fast-paced production environments, they play a key role in ensuring products are made efficiently, safely, and to exact specifications.

What is Polymer Manufacturing?

Polymer manufacturing involves shaping materials like plastics and rubber into useful products using a range of processes and technologies.

This can include techniques such as injection moulding, extrusion, blow moulding, and thermoforming, depending on the product and application.
This is how many everyday items are made, from packaging and medical devices to automotive components and consumer goods.

Simple idea. Precise processes. Used everywhere in modern manufacturing.

Through our Level 3 Polymer Processing Apprenticeship, you’ll gain the technical knowledge and hands-on skills to succeed in this field. You’ll learn how to work with different polymer materials, support machine setup and changeovers, and monitor production to maintain quality standards across a range of manufacturing processes.

If you enjoy practical work, problem-solving, and working with machinery and materials, this could be the perfect career for you.

What could the future look like?

When you complete a Polymer Processing Apprenticeship with Tiro, the opportunities to progress within manufacturing are strong. As a successful apprentice, you could secure a full-time position within the company and continue developing your skills on the job.

Through hands-on training, you will build confidence in working with machinery, materials, and production processes, taking on more responsibility over time. This apprenticeship can lead to roles such as Injection Moulding Technician, Setter, or Process Technician.

The skills you gain are highly transferable across the manufacturing sector, with opportunities in industries such as medical devices, automotive, packaging, and consumer goods.

This programme can also support further progression, allowing you to deepen your expertise in polymer processing and move into more advanced technical or supervisory roles as your career develops.

About You

You’re curious, motivated, and keen to learn. You take pride in doing things properly, enjoy practical, hands-on work, and understand the importance of following clear procedures — particularly in laboratory and regulated environments.

You pay close attention to detail, work well as part of a team, and feel comfortable asking questions when you’re unsure. You approach new tasks with a positive attitude and are willing to learn on the job, spending most of your time in a laboratory testing environment.

An interest in how things are made, materials, or manufacturing processes would suit this role well. Most importantly, you’re reliable, proactive, and motivated to build a long-term career in manufacturing. You’ll also need to be comfortable working in a factory-based environment and following health and safety procedures at all times.

Experience

We value attitude, curiosity, and commitment just as much as past experience. While previous experience can be helpful, it’s not essential - we welcome applicants from all backgrounds, especially those with a genuine interest in the field and the motivation to build a career.

You might be a school or college leaver, or someone looking to retrain. Either way, if you’re enthusiastic, proactive, and ready to learn, you’ll fit right in.

Qualifications

It’s about enthusiasm, not school results. In our experience the most successful apprentices are those who are driven to find out more about the sector, can be up front about what they do and don’t already know, are considerate, self-reflective, and impatient to learn the job role!

Over 12 months, you’ll devote a minimum of 6 hours of your working week on ‘off the job’ training. This can include theory training (for example, virtual lessons & online learning), alongside practical training (for example shadowing, mentoring, & time spent writing assignments.  Together this will count towards a Level 3 Polymer Processing apprenticeship.

You’ll be trained by an expert tutor from Tiro as well as an experienced mentor at one of our employer partners who together, will make sure you develop the knowledge, skills, and work habits you’ll need to succeed in your career.Being an apprentice is hands-on, so you’ll get the chance to learn things you might otherwise not have experienced in a university or college environment.

The best part? You’ll be earning a salary while you gain your qualifications, meaning no huge student loans to pay back at the end of the programme!

Eligibility

While we never want to hinder your job application process with obstacles, there are some minimum requirements you’ll need to meet in order to do an apprenticeship, these are rules set by the UK Government.

As a training provider, we are committed to ensuring that our apprenticeship programs deliver significant new knowledge and skills. To be eligible, applicants must demonstrate that the program will provide learning and experiences beyond their current qualifications and professional expertise.   

If you already hold a Level 3, degree or equivalent higher-level qualification in a closely related field, or possess substantial relevant experience, you may not be eligible for apprenticeship funding, as these programmes are designed for individuals who require upskilling or reskilling in their chosen career pathway.

 

You’ll need to be over 16, not in full time education, have lived in the UK for 3 years and have the right to work in the UK.

 

If you don’t quite meet these minimum requirements yet, let us know you’re interested here and we’ll get in touch to discuss this further with you.