Composites technician

Key information

Reference: ST0094
Date updated: 14/03/2023
Level: 3
Route: Engineering and manufacturing
Regulated occupation: No

This is not the latest approved version of this apprenticeship. View the latest version

Details of the occupational standard

Occupation summary

Composites manufacture is the combining of materials to form a lighter and stronger rigid structure as an alternative to metal. These lightweight rigid structures are essential in the Aerospace, Automotive, Marine and Renewables industries and are becoming increasingly important in the Oil & Gas, Construction and Rail sectors. The composite industry therefore has an increasing requirement for skilled employees. A Composites Technician employed within a Composites Manufacturing environment will find themselves at the heart of cutting edge technologies using state of the art equipment and will become a skilled resource that will be an enabler for manufacturing technologies, processes and practices. A Composites Technician is engaged in a variety of processes in the production and creation of materials and components that are used in a range of applications including but not limited to: airplanes, cars, boats, turbine blades, oil & gas rigs, bridges, trains and satellites. They provide specialised knowledge and skills that support manufacturing programmes and projects and may be deployed in the areas of design, tooling, moulding, lay-up, curing, machining, inspection, testing, repair and material production. As the Technician grows in competence and expertise, other areas of composites technology such as automated manufacture development, preform technologies, processing technologies, validation and post processing, may form part of their role and responsibility.

Typical job titles include:

graphite technician Kevlar engineer carbon fibre technician composites manufacturer composites repairer

KSBs

Knowledge

K1: Working safely, appropriately and collaboratively Back to Duty

K2: Equality & diversity. Back to Duty

K3: Maths, science and engineering disciplines. Back to Duty

K4: The characteristics of Composites and their various applications. Back to Duty

K5: Composite materials and consumables Back to Duty

K6: Types of Resins. e.g. Polyester, Epoxy, Bio-resins. Back to Duty

K7: The manufacture of materials. e.g. Semi-finished, woven reinforcements, preforms. Back to Duty

K8: Material Science, Design, Tooling, Moulding, Laminating, Curing, Testing, Inspection & Repair. Back to Duty

K9: Hand Lay-up. e.g. Open moulding, Spray Lay-up. Back to Duty

K10: Automated Lay-up. e.g. Automated Fibre Placement, Automated Tape Layup. Back to Duty

K11: The manufacture of complex parts eg. Airplane Wings, Body Armour, Turbine Blades. Back to Duty

K12: Quality, Cost and Delivery (QCD) standards and their importance in the workplace Back to Duty

K13: Manufacturing costs and the need for preventative maintenance. Back to Duty

K14: Business Improvement Techniques and waste reduction. Back to Duty

K15: Application of IT systems to support manufacture (including CAD/CAM/CMM) Back to Duty

K16: Automation techniques including programming and operating robots. Back to Duty

K17: Supporting R & D projects Back to Duty

K18: New Product Development Back to Duty

Skills

S1: Select appropriate techniques, procedures and methods to undertake part manufacture. Back to Duty

S2: Identify and select materials (resins, matrix and core), Back to Duty

S3: Design and prepare mould tools. Back to Duty

S4: Design and manufacture components Back to Duty

S5: Select appropriate consumables required to ensure satisfactory progress and completion of projects and/or manufacturing programmes, in conjunction with any relevant Health and Safety legislation. Back to Duty

S6: Read and understand technical drawings for part manufacture Back to Duty

S7: Laminate geometrically complex parts Back to Duty

S8: Operate machinery associated with laminating and automated manufacture Back to Duty

S9: Carry out maintenance to machines or equipment to comply with preventative maintenance plans Back to Duty

S10: Assist and advise in the planning and preparation of manufacturing programmes and research projects to ensure they meet customer requirements and schedules Back to Duty

S11: Understand and follow work instructions Back to Duty

S12: Use metrology equipment applicable to the workplace Back to Duty

Behaviours

B1: Manage and apply safe systems of work, ethically and responsibly Back to Duty

B2: Show respect for colleagues and the work environment Back to Duty

B3: Be focused on customer satisfaction, ensuring that work is undertaken following Quality, Cost and Delivery principles to meet or exceed customers expectations Back to Duty

B4: Have a right first time approach Back to Duty

B5: Understand and implement continuous improvements in the workplace Back to Duty

B6: Solve problems, eliminate waste and risks Back to Duty

B7: Undertake engineering activities which contribute to sustainable development Back to Duty

B8: Be able to work in a team with effective interpersonal skills Back to Duty

B9: Be able to communicate clearly Back to Duty

B10: Commit to & apply a professional code of conduct Back to Duty

B11: Carry out CPD activities and have a desire to develop a career in composites engineering Back to Duty

End-point assessment (EPA plan)

Rigorous robust and independent assessment undertaken by an apprentice at the end of training to test that the apprentice can perform in the occupation they have been trained in and can demonstrate the duties, and knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs) set out in the occupational standard

End-point assessment organisation (EPAO)

An organisation approved to deliver end-point assessment for a particular apprenticeship standard. EPAOs must be on the register of end-point assessment organisations

Holistic or synoptic

Assessment of an apprentice’s knowledge, skills and behaviours in an integrated way i.e. assessing several KSBs at the same time

Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSB)

What is needed to competently undertake the duties required for an occupational standard

Valid

Referred to in relation to assessment methods; fit for purpose

Change request policy

Most changes to an apprenticeship are made as a result of a holistic review of it. We prioritise the need for such reviews based on a range of factors. These include:

the time since the apprenticeship was developed or last reviewed (taking account of its typical duration)
the existence of any known problems with it (e.g. lower than expected starts, low achievement rate, high withdrawal rate, any issues with the availability of training or end-point assessment provision)
whether the apprenticeship is currently subject to a dispensation
the relative significance of the apprenticeship based on how many users it has

The availability of an employer group to support a review and its potential impact on any related technical education product also inform the timing of a review.

Details of apprenticeships that are currently being revised or adjusted are available in our revisions and adjustments status report.

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