Apprenticeships

Becoming an apprentice with the council

The Council offers a range of exciting and award winning apprenticeships. We are looking to recruit people who can bring fresh, creative and innovative ideas to the organisation.

We take on average 25 new apprentices per year. They vary from 1 to 3 years in length depending on the role.

The training and experience you will receive will be specific to the job you will be doing, this will help you towards your chosen career pathway. You need to think about the type of work you are likely to enjoy and be committed to before you apply.

The Job Profile, attached to each vacancy, will give more detail about the job.

We suggest you read through all the information before you decide which job to apply for.

The online application gives us the information we are looking for in order to short-list your application for an apprenticeship. You can save the application so it can be used and updated for any future applications.

Apply for a vacancy

You will be eligible for a council apprenticeship if:

  • You have been resident in the UK for at least 3 years (Some exceptions apply).
  • You are not in full time compulsory education.
  • You are able to meet the entry requirements of the qualification and to undertake the studying and coursework required to complete the course.
  • You are over the age of 16 you can apply. If you are in Year 11 and age 15 you can apply now, but you must be age 16 when you actually start your apprenticeship.

After you've applied

If you are shortlisted for interview we will contact you by email with details of the date, time location and details of what the selection process involves.

If you are unsuccessful on this occasion we will inform you by email and provide you the opportunity to receive feedback on your application.

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Waris's case study

Here is what one of our apprentices has to say about 'being an apprentice with the Council':

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Selection

The selection process will include an interview to give you the best opportunity to demonstrate what you can bring to the apprenticeship. You may also be asked to undertake some assessment exercises which may include literacy and numeracy test, You will be informed of this before your interview.

You will be required to bring documents to the interview that prove you have the right to work in the UK, plus other documents if a DBS check is required. Please take time to do so as it will make the process faster if you are offered an apprenticeship.

Our apprenticeships

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Types of roles

Most of our apprenticeships are advertised in February to March each year, however we offer opportunities at other times during the year as needed.

These are some of the examples on the type of apprenticeship roles we offer:

  • Business Administration across the council and in local schools
  • Construction Trades
  • Highway Maintenance (including Civil Engineers, Road Workers)
  • Horticultural
  • IT
  • Warehousing and Storage
  • Customer Service
  • Education Teaching Assistance
  • Vehicle Maintenance

Suitability for you

Our apprenticeships will suit someone who:

  • Has a clear idea of the type of career they wish to pursue and is willing to commit to a vocational pathway.
  • Is ready to start work with an employer and be based in the workplace the majority of the time.
  • Is well organised and able to cope with the competing demands of work and academic study at the same time.
  • Is ready to be assessed through a mix of assignments and written work, including essays, reports, practical exercises, end tests and exams.

What is involved

During your normal work week:

  • You will spend a minimum of 30 hours at work where you will learn whilst working.
  • You will learn from colleagues across all levels of the business, typically working closely with a senior employee who will coach you and review your progress.

Studying:

  • You are required to spend 20% "off the job training" to gain your qualification. This may involve you attending college one day per week, in blocks of a week or more or studying online. Some training schemes use a combination of options.
  • You will complete assessments during and at the end of the apprenticeship which tests both academic learning and occupational competence developed through on the job training.
  • Where apprentices do not hold a level 2 qualification in GCSE English Language and Maths, or equivalent qualification, you will be expected to undertake training to achieve a L1 or L2 Functional skills qualification. You will be assessed and where possible supported to achieve this.

Benefits of working with the council

There are a wide variety of benefits of working for the council. Staff Benefits gives you more information.

Contact

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Please see our latest apprentice vacancies below. If there are no suitable vacancies available please register for alerts