Working for Us
As a growing business, with specialist technical expertise, it’s essential that we invest in our workforce and build a succession plan for the future of the business.
We devote time and resource into bringing apprentices and placement students into the business every year. We give genuine career opportunities and real accountability to ambitious recruits with an aptitude for engineering.
Graduate Opportunities & Apprenticeships
Student Placements & Graduate opportunities
Student placements are another great opportunity for us to bring new skills and ideas into the business, from students who already have an in-depth knowledge of engineering theory. You will be exposed very quickly to projects that will build on your academic knowledge, leaving you with very useful experience to build on when you complete your studies.
Recent students have taken up very hands-on roles, with several of them returning to the business permanently after their studies, to take up senior management roles.
Whilst we don’t offer a structured graduate development programme, we always welcome speculative applications from graduates with relevant academic qualifications. Contact us if you would like to discuss how your experience and qualifications could help us grow our business further.
Apprenticeships
Our engineering apprenticeships give you a structured programme of career development. This will include academic studies – typically NVQ and BTEC qualifications, with many apprentices going on to complete a HNC or HND qualification.
More importantly though, you will gain early exposure to important processes within the business such as quality management, sales and manufacturing. Many previous apprentices have progressed quickly into management roles as the business has grown.
“I joined Alco in 2013 on an apprenticeship which I’ve now completed. I’m now being supported to study my HNC in Mechanical Engineering, which I’m really looking forward to starting to develop my career even further.
I worked in several different departments as part of my apprenticeship and I now work on the larger valves such as subsea and large trunnion mounts. I find the work really interesting and I just want to keep working hard and progress further up the chain with Alco, and my HNC will help me do this. A lot of my friends from college also went through engineering apprenticeships and it feels like Alco compares very well with some of the other apprentice schemes my friends have been through.”
Jordan Clavin
ASSEMBLER & FITTER
“I joined Alco in 2013 partway through my apprenticeship and the company supported me in advancing on to my HNC, which I have now achieved. I really enjoy working at Alco because I like to be involved in key processes and I have had a lot of opportunities to do this.
I have had a really hands-on role with work such as fire testing and type approval testing, and I even flew to Oman to help a vendor set up their own testing procedures. I want to keep doing more of this kind of work and maybe get more involved with finished products that we develop within the R&D team. I feel like Alco really listen to their staff and give us all plenty of opportunities to progress.”
Mark Smith
R&D ENGINEER
“I really enjoy working so closely with customers - many of them in other parts of the world - and building relationships with them. I recently secured a very large contract for over 20 valves going to Egypt which was really rewarding and I got some great help from my colleagues to secure the deal.
I really enjoy working at Alco and having worked at the old premises and moved to the new one. I also feel that I personally am getting great support from the business to build my career and see a good future for myself here. ”
Sam Walland
APPRENTICE SALES SUPPORT ENGINEER
“My first experience of Alco was two weeks’ work experience while I was at 6th form college. That then turned into a part-time job, and when I completed college I started an apprenticeship and will start my HNC studies shortly.
What I enjoy most about working at Alco is the real responsibility you get. For example I am very involved in testing at all stages of the manufacturing process, and I have worked alongside third party inspectors to demonstrate my methods as part of our quality management accreditations. It just goes to show that if you work hard and use the knowledge you’ve picked up from your studies, you will get opportunities to progress quickly.”
Josh Milthorpe
QUALITY CONTROL INSPECTOR
“I joined Alco in 2015 as an apprentice and have worked across the full range of valve products as an assembler. I am studying for an NVQ in Engineering Maintenance and I am impressed with how well my studies fit with the work I am doing.
I see good long-term potential at Alco and the things I enjoy most are the variety of the work, the fact that it’s challenging and teaches you new things regularly and the way the whole team work together and support one another.”
Sam Lane
APPRENTICE ASSEMBLER
CURRENT VACANCIES
Current career opportunities can be found below. We always welcome speculative applications from high-calibre individuals who share our values of engineering excellence and quality management. You can also contact us for an informal discussion.
The Buyer is to work closely with the Purchasing Supervisor to ensure the purchasing of goods, materials and services to ensure that the companies operational needs are met, taking into account price, quality and delivery and to ensure continuity of supply. The Technical Buyer is responsible for negotiations, supplier management identifying cost saving opportunities and vendor risks.
Responsibilities
- Procurement of materials, components and sub-contract machining in a timely manner to meet required deadlines
- Provide accurate and timely Sales costings
- Technical knowledge and market awareness on valves
- Involvement in projects for oversea bids
- Ability to forecast product demand based on historical data.
- Collect, organize and collate data to support others within the Purchasing Team
- Preparation and issuing of RFQ’s to suppliers
- Maintain effective existing supplier relationships and be able to source new opportunities to improve the supply chain
- Ability to negotiate costs and achieve cost savings and avoidances
- Ability to negotiate tight delivery dates, ensuring free issue material is expedited and arrives at machine shops within given timescales
- Prepare and process purchase orders
- Supplier relationship management and monitoring of rejects.
- Internal communication on current and potential problems that could impact upon production and end customer due dates
- Ensuring that Health & Safety and Environmental standards are complied with
(This list is not exhaustive)
Education & Skills
- Minimum of 3 years of experience in procurement, technical buying, or Supply Chain Management & Expediting.
- Background in component manufacturing / machining
- Ability to understand specifications, material grades, standards, certification and technical drawings
- Understanding of MRP principles
- HNC degree in Engineering preferred but not essential
- Proven track record of controlling and reducing spend whilst maintaining a robust supplier base.
- Positive can-do attitude and flexible approach
- Fully conversant with modern procurement and purchasing techniques.
- High competency level in use of Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word as a minimum)
- Full Driving License required.
Find Out More About Us
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