Apprentice Instructor
Stoke-on-Trent City Council
Stoke-On-Trent (ST9 9LY)
Closes in 11 days (Thursday 4 December 2025)
Posted on 18 November 2025
Contents
Summary
This a great opportunity to enter the fantastic Outdoor Education sector with Stanley Head Outdoor Education Centre. With a back story of over 60 years, and a stable, well qualified, experienced and friendly team to support and guide you, Stanley Head is the perfect setting to develop your skills as an outdoor instructor.
- Wage
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£23,492 a year
Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Stoke-on-Trent pays L3 apprentices National Minimum Wage which currently equates to £10 per hour or the National Living Wage if over the age of 21 (which equates to £12.21 per hour). This is significantly higher than the NAW rate of £7.55.
- Training course
- Outdoor activity instructor (level 3)
- Hours
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This role is 37 hours per week, mostly Monday to Friday, although you will be expected to take part in related activities on some weekends to build your logbooks.
37 hours a week
- Start date
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Monday 12 January 2026
- Duration
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1 year 3 months
- Positions available
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1
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
- Shadowing instructors and supporting on activity sessions
- Delivering on-site activities such as climbing, archery, axe throwing, abseiling, orienteering etc.
- Setting up and taking down of activities
- On-site low-level maintenance tasks alongside other instructional team members
Where you'll work
Stanley Head Outdoor Education Centre
Tompkin Lane, Stanley
Stoke-On-Trent
ST9 9LY
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
CHANNEL TRAINING LIMITED
Training course
Outdoor activity instructor (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Find information on: the activity type and timings; outcome requirements; participant age; medical information; equipment and resourcing allocation; venue; weather conditions.
- Prepare sessions to achieve the required outcomesg. enjoyment, thrill seeking, personal or team challenges, acquisition of new knowledge or skills.
- Select methods to meet all participant needs g. visual impairment, mental and physical ability.
- Select methods to respond to potential changes in the environmentg. wind increasing in a sailing session or rain making conditions slippery underfoot.
- Collect appropriate equipment and resources.
- Ensure the venue is set-up and ready to be used.
- Maintain self and group safety when delivering the session.
- Deliver an effective session briefing with clear instruction and following organisational procedures.
- Perform a competent demonstration of the skills required for the activity or subject at the appropriate level for the session.
- Provide on-going instruction to encourage learning and progression.
- Follow organisational operating procedures to adapt to changes in the environment. E.g. thunderstorm, a wind shift to offshore in a surfing session.
- Select and implement organisational procedures to deal with routine problems.g. broken equipment.
- Provide basic First Aid to respond to accidents in a safe, prompt and effective manner. e.g. injured participant.
- Initiate organisational procedures to summon support in the case of incidents or accidents.
- Use the organisations set approaches for learning delivery.
- Support individual and group engagement and participation in the session g. energisers, sharing responsibilities, appropriate pace.
- Change the pace of the session to match participants’ speed of learning.
- Identify and support the individual participants’ needs g. give personal attention, active listening, allow additional time, encouragement.
- Apply simple techniques to deal with conflict and challenging behaviour g. redirection, increasing responsibility.
- Use simple review techniques to check the achievement of required outcomes e.g. thumbs up; rounds; memorable moments.
- Signpost participants to progression routes.
- Complete a session within time, including the restoration of the venue, return of equipment and resources and any logging or recording requirements.
- Use participant feedback and own reflection to suggest improvements to sessions.
- Communicate with customers and colleagues in a clear, concise and effective manner.
- Handle information in a way that conforms to policy and protects data.
- Assist with the development and preparation of resources and support colleagues delivering sessions
- Actively encourage whole group participation and promote equality and diversity.
- Undertake activities to further develop knowledge and personal skills.
- Reflect on own performance and make refinements.
Training schedule
This is a great opportunity to enter the fantastic Outdoor Education sector with Stanley Head Outdoor Education Centre. With a back story of over 60 years, and a stable, well qualified, experienced and friendly team to support and guide you, Stanley Head is the perfect setting to develop your skills as an outdoor instructor. We have been delivering apprenticeships for over 10 years and this is the second year of an exciting partnership with Channel Training
The 15 months you spend at the centre will all be designed towards you being able to gain meaningful employment in this sector and this will happen through a balance of shadowing instructors, leading sessions, on and off-the-job training to potentially include Mountain Training and/or Paddle UK NGB qualifications. You will also gain a number of in-house qualifications.
The centre is based in the Staffordshire Moorlands, only a couple of miles from the south west Peak district and the magnificent Roaches gritstone area. We make full use of our locality to deliver a number of regular activities in the National Park. We also have a large lake on site, perfectly situated for a range of watersports.
This apprenticeship will provide you with a solid foundation from which to apply for full time positions within the sector. To date, the vast majority of our apprentices have stayed on beyond their apprenticeship with seasonal contracts and two recent apprentices have secured full time work at the centre as a result, although this is of course dependent on positions becoming available.
Please note that accommodation is NOT available on site so you would need to live reasonably locally.
Requirements
Desirable qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 3 / D)
- Maths (grade 3 / D)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Team working
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Physical fitness
Other requirements
Please note that accommodation is NOT available on site so you would need to live reasonably locally.
About this employer
Stanley Head is owned and run by Stoke-on-Trent City Council and continues to be considered one of the ‘jewels in the crown’ for the Local Authority. We deliver a real mixture of activities, courses and programmes here ranging from out-and-out activity days to delivering the School Curriculum. The centre itself is set in 30 acres, consisting of the buildings, extensive camping fields and some of the most rich and diverse woodland in Staffordshire filled with wildlife. On the edge of the centre is Stanley Reservoir, an excellent natural resource that the centre has unlimited access to and uses for a variety of activities and challenges.
After this apprenticeship
This apprenticeship will provide you with a solid foundation from which to apply for full time positions within the sector. To date, the vast majority of our apprentices have stayed on beyond their apprenticeship with seasonal contracts and two recent apprentices have secured full time work at the centre as a result, although this is of course dependent on positions becoming available.
One or more NGBs (dependent on your skillset, willingness to learn etc.), 15 months at a well-respected centre, and a (hopefully) glowing reference from a Gold Standard OEC will see you well placed to apply for a range of jobs in the sector.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
CHANNEL TRAINING LIMITED
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000290519.
Apply now
Closes in 11 days (Thursday 4 December 2025)
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