Cross Agricultural Engineering Ltd. are currently seeking 3 candidates to enroll in our apprenticeship program. This is a full time position and is based at the Cross factory in Rathangan Co.Kildare. 

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About the Company: Cross is a leading Engineering company who specialize in the design and manufacturing of Farm, Biogas, commercial and food processing machinery. We offer a top of the range service as standard to all our customers and would like to offer that training to our apprentices who get the opportunity to work with us. Currently there are 40 staff working in a state of the art factory and each staff member is given his/her own dedicated work bay. This means the staff working in Cross are working on their own small projects within the factory and are specializing in custom design. This is a lot less monotonous than production line work.

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Apprenticeship program: At Cross we pride ourselves in offering one of the best apprenticeship training programs in the country. If you come to train and work at Cross there is no part of machine fitting and maintenance you will not have experience in. It is safe to say after the 4 years you will be one of the best trained fitter turners in the country.

On successful completion of this apprenticeship, the apprentice is awarded a QQI Level 6 Advanced Certificate Craft – Mechanical Automation & Maintenance Fitter

This apprenticeship consists of four on-the-job phases with Cross and three off-the-job phases in an educational organisation. Apprentices will be invited to attend their off-the-training phases in accordance with the SOLAS scheduling system.

This apprenticeship is deemed to be complete when an apprentice has successfully completed all on-the-job and off-the-job phases of their apprenticeship, which is a minimum of four years in duration from the date of registration. 

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What is a Mechanical Automation & Maintenance Fitter

The work of the Mechanical Automation and Maintenance Fitter involves machinery installation, machinery assembly, maintenance and repair, replacement of broken or worn parts, adjustment and servicing. The work also involves fabrication of replacement parts using machine tools i.e. lathes, milling machines, grinders etc. Components may have to be repaired or fabricated using welding, brazing, riveting and soldering techniques.

All Mechanical Automation and Maintenance Fitters apprentices will be trained in the following

Working with a variety of specialised tools - lathes, milling machines, grinders

Working with drilling and milling machines and welding plants

Working on complex hydraulic systems

Interpreting technical drawings and diagrams

Assembling brand new machines according to factory tolerances

Dismantling, Repair/Make and Fitting of new parts when performing machine maintenance

Machine wiring

Electromechanical parts installation

Electrical machine components installation

Report writing of completed work

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Pay: At Cross we pay all our apprentices the recommended wage by the ETB (Education and Training Board). A training allowance is paid by the local ETB while the apprentice is attending the off-the-job training.

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Trial Period: If employed, all new staff have to undergo a 1 month trail period before signed into the training program. This is to protect the employee and the employer. It gives the apprentice a taste of what he/she will be doing before he/she agrees on taking part in the apprenticeship. It also allows us (the employer) see if you are interested before we sign you into a 4 year job and training program. 

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Requirements: 

Junior Certificate must be completed

Leaving Certificate is a bonus

Leaving or junior cert Engineering, Tech Drawing (DCG), Woodwork, Physics, Phys/chem are a bonus

Must be 16 years of age or older

No experience required (training provided)

Good communication skills

Ability to read manufacturing drawings is a bonus

Ability to work as part of a team

Past engineering experience is a bonus

Must include Junior Cert results on CV (CV without results will not be accepted)

Must include Leaving cert results on CV if you have completed the leaving cert

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