Apprentice Maintenance Fitter

Quoiba, TAS
Permanent
Full-time

7 days ago

In Australia, the J.R. Simplot Company's core operations are food manufacturing and agriculture, encompassing potato, vegetable, seafood and sauce operations. We supply a wide range of frozen, shelf-stable and chilled products to major retail and foodservice customers in Australia and New Zealand. The Simplot Global Food business includes 17 food manufacturing and processing sites, serving retail and foodservice customers in 37 countries, with 8,000 people across North America, Latin America and Asia Pacific. Globally, the J.R. Simplot Company employs 15,000 people, driving innovation and excellence across diverse industries.Within the Australian market, we are a leading provider of quality, nourishing and sustainable food, focussed on creating meals that maximises value from the best Australian-grown produce and global seafood. Our iconic brands have been an integral part of Aussie life for generations, and include Leggo's, Birds Eye, Edgell, John West and Chiko.Culture and BenefitsAt Simplot, we are fueled by our purpose: We Contribute to Feeding Our World. We imagine a better future and set goals to reach it. We are committed to working as one Simplot and are guided by our shared values:

Respect for Resources
Spirit of Innovation
Passion for People

We embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion. We care about creating an environment that promotes safety and wellbeing and where our people feel supported, respected and empowered. We do not tolerate any form of discrimination and are committed to providing equal opportunities for all our team members.Simplot is passionate about cultivating a future where good ideas and inspiring possibilities have the chance to grow. We want our team members to build exciting and fulfilling careers with us and offer professional and personal growth opportunities.The Perks

Opportunity to work with a global leader in food manufacturing with a high focus on career development within a supportive environment
Fully provided & laundered uniform, boots and PPE
Base rates up to 50% higher than the applicable award + weekly pay
On-site subsidised canteen
Income protection insurance
Soft tissue specialist appointments

About Our Role

4 year Apprenticeship - commencing late 2025 / early 2026
Rotate between Devonport, Ulverstone & Simplot Harvesters facilities
Diverse role working with a wide variety of food processing / manufacturing plant & equipment

Simplot is committed to developing the next generation of skilled tradespeople and prides itself on providing a supportive training environment. As part of our 2026 apprenticeship programme, we are seeking highly motivated applicants for an exciting and unique opportunity in the role of Apprentice Maintenance Fitter (Mechanical)Commencing in late 2025 / early 2026 (negotiable) , this role will provide the successful candidate with the opportunity to learn a skilled maintenance trade and to work with a unique range of equipment in our modern Ulverstone & Devonport food production facilities in addition to our Wesley Vale based Harvester operations. Upon successful completion of this 4 year apprenticeship, the Apprentice will obtain a nationally recognised qualification (Cert III Engineering - Mechanical).Simplot's Tasmanian production facilities have a long history within their communities, with both plants dating back to the early 1940s. Our Ulverstone plant processes around 300,000 tonnes of potatoes from 165 Tasmanian growers each year and employs over 450 people, whilst our Devonport plant has capacity to process 28 tonnes of product per hour, equating to over 80 million individual bags of frozen vegetables per annum. Simplot Harvesters provides harvesting and transport operations for peas, beans, corn and carrots, including all maintenance and service of equipment.Working a rotation across our food production and harvesting operations gives our apprentices the leading edge in developing a diverse skill set in the mechanical fitting trade. With base rates of up to 50% higher than the applicable award, and Simplot providing the successful candidate with a tool kit as a gesture of welcome - we ensure our apprentices are set up for success from day one!What You Will DoWorking as part of our highly skilled Mechanical Maintenance teams on a Monday-Friday day shift roster - this apprenticeship will focus on all facets of the mechanical (maintenance) trade within a busy manufacturing (FMCG) environment. Duties will include (but are not limited to):

Take part in safety initiatives to achieve a 100% commitment to safety, health and wellbeing in the workplace
Learn industry best practice for both preventative maintenance & breakdown activities
Use of hand tools, in addition to electrical and pneumatic powered tools & equipment
Use of lathes and other machining equipment to manufacture components prior to assembly / fitting
Welding (TIG, MIG, MMA)
Sheet metal fabrication
Work in a workshop environment and on the production floor
The opportunity to work on a wide variety of fixed plant and equipment incl;

- Conveyors
- High speed packing equipment
- Freezer tunnels
- Pumps
- Gearboxes
- Fryers
- Pneumatics
- Process line fixed plant * Problem solving & fault finding

Use of CMMS (Computerised Maintenance Management Systems) incl. work orders / data entry / stores lookups
Interact & collaborate with wider Maintenance / Engineering & Production teams on tasks associated with production line maintenance
Attend mandatory blocks of TAFE for the duration of the apprenticeship
Complete a rotational programme at Simplot Ulverstone, Devonport and Harvesters (Wesley Vale)
Contribute towards continuous improvement initiatives

About You

Ideally you will have successfully completed school based engineering modules (e.g. Cert II - Engineering Pathways) or have completed work experience within a similar trade
Possess a genuine interest in learning a mechanical fitting trade
Can display a good basic knowledge of tooling, materials and mechanical aptitude
Demonstrated problem solving skills with a hands-on approach
Possess strong mathematical and English attributes - noting an in-house aptitude test will be required for shortlisted candidates
Intermediate IT skills with regards to Windows based operating system
Be an Australian Citizen or hold formal permanent residency
Ability to commence full-time employment in December 2025 / January 2026 (negotiable)
Possess a driver's licence (or hold your Learners Permit with a look to obtaining P plates in the near future)
Demonstrate superior communication skills with the ability to interact with a wide variety of people and cultures
Ability to commit to a 4 year apprenticeship
Willingness to undertake a pre-employment medical assessment (incl. urine based drug & alcohol screen)

Please click on the "Apply" button to submit your application, ensuring a covering letter outlining your suitability for the role AND an up-to-date resume are included (noting that you will be redirected to the Simplot Careers portal).APPLICATIONS CLOSE MIDNIGHT, FRIDAY 19th SEPTEMBER 2025 - noting that Simplot reserve the right to commence shortlisting prior to advert closing date.Job Requisition ID: 23318Travel Required: NoneLocation(s): GF Devonport Plant - QuoibaCountry: AustraliaSimplot is an equal opportunity employer and encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to apply. If you feel you would be a great addition to our team please apply online today, we would love to hear from you. If you require technical assistance, please email us at

Simplot

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