Academy
At Superior, we’re as focused on excellence in our people as we are on our products.
We believe one directly benefits the other – that’s why we created our award-winning Academy.
This is where we invest in people – the trainees, apprentices and graduates who come here with an opportunity to build the firm foundations for a career they love, in an environment they can thrive in.
A steadfast commitment to talent
From the outset, we’ll commit to nurturing and celebrating your talent. This is where you can identify and develop your strengths, with unrivalled support and extensive opportunities to gain hands-on experience in our state-of-the-art purpose-built facilities. It’s the beginning of an engaging education that can lead to recognised qualifications – and ultimately a career with Superior.
Superior has a long and successful track record of excellence in quality, service and design, so you know you’re building a career with a genuine industry leader. What’s more, our inclusive culture means you’re far more than just a student… you’re already part of a community with the common goal of achieving perfection in our field.
Work experience
Do you ever get asked the question – what do you want to do when you leave school? If you’re not sure, work experience can be a wonderful way to find out!
We encourage as many students as possible to come to Superior for work experience. We offer placements in both Science and Engineering.
If you have applied for our Apprenticeship Programme, we’d also love for you to come in for a few days, so we can get to know you and vice versa.
We promise that you won’t just be shadowing (boring!) we’ll give you interesting, practical and valuable experience in Science or Engineering. Such as supporting our industry experts with experiments and testing or designing and making something that you can take home with you. All of this is done in a safe controlled environment with supervision from our Training Manager.
We usually take work experience students from March – July for 2- 3 days but we’re flexible so you tell us what works for you.
Trainees
An initial Superior Traineeship supports you as you gain valuable work experience and on-the-job training, as you progress to a full apprenticeship.
Is it for me?
If you’re aged 16-18 with three GCSEs at grade 3 or above in Maths, English and a science subject – and a passion for all things practical, a can-do attitude and a willingness to learn – then yes, it’s for you!
What will I do?
We’ve designed the Traineeship programme specifically to help young people become better prepared for the workplace, so we’ll support you in developing sought-after skills and securing a nationally recognised qualification – all in a supportive environment that encourages fresh thinking and the expression of ideas.
You’ll spend your first month in our Superior Academy with our dedicated training manager, where you’ll get to grips with the basics (and probably a bit more) of engineering and manufacturing. This can lead to opportunities in our Operations team, or progression to an apprenticeship with us.
What do I get?
You will achieve an NVQ in Performing Engineering Operations: Level 2 – a nationally recognised engineering qualification.
Apprentices
Finished your A Levels and looking for a suitable career pathway? Our highly commended apprenticeship scheme is accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and the National Apprenticeship Service and we’re looking for talented people like you.
We’ll begin by teaching you basic engineering skills, and then discuss opportunities to specialise in one of the many departments at Superior.
- Starting age: 18+
- Requirements: three A Levels at grade C or above (preferably including a science subject and Maths)
- Length: two to six years, depending on chosen path
- Outcome: minimum HNC and Level 3 NVQ, up to master’s degree
Is it for me?
If you’re aged between 18 and 24 with three A levels at grade C or above (preferably including Maths and a science subject), and you’re looking for a vocational alternative to university that offers degree-level qualifications, then yes, it’s for you!
Apprenticeships require a minimum of two years’ commitment, and up to six years for a full Master’s degree qualification – you’ll be earning, and amassing knowledge and experience at the same time.
What will I do?
You’ll spend a year training in our Superior Academy with full support from our dedicated training manager, followed by a rotational placement in different areas of the organisation, where technical experts will mentor and support you every step of the way.
What do I get?
You gain qualifications in stages, starting with a Higher National Certificate and then a Level 3 NVQ. Then you have the option to continue along the Academy pathway to as high a level as you want – hopefully all the way to a full Masters degree.
Graduate Academy placements
Reporting to the Head of Material Science, you’ll get to work with the materials team, supporting material-development projects and ensuring they meet the brief’s requirements within agreed timelines and budgets.
Key responsibilities
- Assisting in experiment design.
- Practical lab work using polymer-processing machinery.
- Testing and analysis of experimental data to produce measurable, meaningful and marketable technical data.
- Following company processes and best-practice methods to support materials development effectively.
- Working closely with Product Development, Testing and Operations to ensure coordination and timely delivery of materials’ development.
- Ensuring regular and accurate reporting of projects’ status to Project Leaders.
- Seeking continuous improvement of processes within the Technical department.
- Building/maintaining business relationships with various external parties.
Qualifications, qualities and experience
You should have a relevant degree-level qualification, such as Chemistry, Physics, Material Science or related disciplines – alongside good time-management skills. You’ll also need a keen attention to detail and a methodical approach that’s un-phased by tight deadlines.
You’ll be a good listener and communicator who’s happy working independently or as part of a team, and an independent learner. You’ll enjoy plenty of laboratory experience, from scientific exploration to basic housekeeping, and be able to conduct material research with minimum guidance.
Ideally, you’ll be familiar with elastomers and their applications, and with procedures for characterising mechanical properties. If that’s from experience working in a related laboratory environment, all the better!
