Maintenance Fitter (Food Factory) – Experienced

The cement plant in East London needs an artisan who can fix a breakdown fast and machine a part when needed. If you learn fast and don't mind being shown things twice, you'll settle in within a few weeks.

The work is in East London, Eastern Cape, so you'll need a reliable way to get there every day. The first two weeks are spent shadowing someone experienced.

• Inspect and adjust conveyors, chains and sprockets
• Program and run CNC machines from engineering drawings
• Respond to breakdowns and get the line running again safely
• Follow the lockout procedure before any work on machinery
• Machine shafts, bushes and keyways on a lathe and milling machine
• Build and repair press tools, jigs and moulds
• Align shafts with a laser alignment tool after every drive change

• You read engineering drawings and measure with micrometers and verniers
• Willing to work shifts, standby and weekend shutdowns
• Own basic hand tools, or willing to build up a set
• Basic understanding of the General Machinery Regulations
• At least 2 years as a qualified artisan in a factory or workshop

• Forklift licence for moving heavy parts
• Hydraulic and pneumatic courses
• CNC programming experience

• Paid overtime on shutdowns
• Shift and standby allowances
• Chance to study further toward a technician diploma

• Expect a practical test. Measure twice and work cleanly, because the assessor watches your habits as much as the result.
• Write your trade and trade test year first, then the machines you know, like "Filling lines, pumps, gearboxes".