Applications Support Apprentice

Summary

The Application Support Apprentice will support the delivery, maintenance, and enhancement of business-critical applications that underpin core services across the organisation. This role is key to ensuring that staff and students can effectively use digital tools and systems that support teaching, learning, and operational delivery.

Wage

£25,319 a year

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Fixed term contract (2 years).

Training course

Information communications technician (level 3)

Hours

Monday - Friday: Between the hours of 8.00 am and 18.00 pm.

37 hours a week

Start date

Monday 1 September 2025

Duration

1 year 6 months

Positions available

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

This is a hands-on, customer-facing role offering valuable experience within a dynamic IT environment, helping to build practical skills while contributing to the reliable delivery of essential digital services across the organisation.

Main responsibilities:

Support the development, implementation, and maintenance of the College’s primary business information systems, in-house platforms, and digital services, ensuring they align with operational needs and deliver ongoing value.
Work collaboratively across the IT systems team and with infrastructure engineers to develop integrated IT solutions that address root causes, improve functionality, and support digital transformation.
Respond to user-reported incidents and service requests in line with agreed Service Level Agreements (SLAs), maintaining a high standard of customer service and issue resolution.
Assist in analysing user requirements and translating them into functional system improvements or new solutions to ensure that business-critical applications continue to meet the evolving needs of the College.
Contribute to the effective operation and ongoing support of administrative and information systems by ensuring they are well-maintained, documented, reviewed regularly, and aligned with best practices.
Provide first-line support for staff and students, managing incidents from initial report through to resolution and escalating as necessary while maintaining ownership of issues throughout.
Offer technical advice and assistance to users of the College’s business systems, including supporting the roll-out of software updates, new features, and infrastructure changes.
Foster positive working relationships with external suppliers and third-party support providers to ensure effective service delivery and system performance.

Cross-college Responsibilities:

You may be required to participate in cross-college teams and working groups on key projects.

You may need to attend relevant internal committees and groups. This could include preparing and presenting papers as required.

You will act as a role model to colleagues, ensuring that the responsibilities of the post are carried out in line with the College’s FREDIE+ values and behaviors.

Student Related Responsibilities:

Anyone who has regular contact with children and young people in their day-to-day responsibilities, must ensure they are safe. You will work with the Safeguarding Team, ensuring concerns regarding students/apprentices are shared in a timely, accurate manner.
You will be involved in supporting college open days, supporting during the exam season, student enrolment and any other required events.

Other Responsibilities:

All staff have a responsibility to ensure that the college provides a safe and sustainable environment for students, staff and visitors. You will support this by:

Understanding and undertaking the specific responsibilities for their role as documented within the Health and Safety Policy and procedures.
Ensure compliance with Data Protection Regulations.
Ensure that environmental sustainability is a key consideration in the actions we take, working towards the college’s environmental strategy and net zero ambition.

Where you'll work

Granville Road
Sheffield
South Yorkshire
S2 2RL

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

College or training organisation

SHEFFIELD COLLEGE, THE

Your training course

Information communications technician (level 3)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents

Interpret and prioritise internal or external customer's requirements in line with organisation's policy
Apply the appropriate tools and techniques to undertake fault finding and rectification
apply Continuous Professional Development to support necessary business output and technical developments
Operate safely and securely across platforms and responsibilities maintaining the security of personal data of internal and external stakeholders
Communicate with all levels of stakeholders, keeping them informed of progress and managing escalation where appropriate
Develop and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues, customers and other relevant stakeholders
Manage and prioritise the allocated workload effectively making best use of time and resources
Complete documentation relevant to the task and escalate where appropriate
Install or undertake basic software upgrades,either physically or remotely
Establish and diagnose the extent of the IT support task, in line with the organisation's policies and Service Level Agreements
Provide remote/F2F support to resolve customer requirements
Maintain a safe working environment for own personal safety and others in line with Health & Safety appropriate to the task
Identify and scope the best solution informed by the system data associated with the task
Test and evaluate the system's performance and compliance with customer requirements.
Escalate non routine problems in line with procedures
Use basic scripting to execute the relevant tasks for example PowerShell, Linux
Carry out routine maintenance across systems, (such as IT, Communications), ensuring organisational compliance at all times
Apply the necessary security, in line with access and/or encryption requirements
Use a range of Cabling or Connectors equipment in line with technical requirements for example physically or remotely
Test and evaluate network environments
Monitor performance and usage of a network
Deploy applications on a network
Set up storage and data access for staff
Apply necessary security measures, in line with access requirements to a network
Carry out routine maintenance across network systems, ensuring organisational compliance
Monitor network-related workloads including DNS and firewalls
Install or undertake basic upgrades, either physically or remotely
Establish digital communication or telecommunications systems through, for example cabling and connecting equipment.
Identify a range of tools and or diagnostic equipment, for example, Hardware or Software components, to resolve Communications or Telecommunications requirements.
Undertake basic telecommunications activities, in response to an allocated task, designated responsibilities, instructions or customer’s requirements.
Use information necessary to identify operational issues and rectify or escalate accordingly in line with policy
Interpret and prioritise internal or external customer's requirements in line with organisation's policy
Apply the appropriate tools and techniques to undertake fault finding and rectification
apply Continuous Professional Development to support necessary business output and technical developments
Operate safely and securely across platforms and responsibilities maintaining the security of personal data of internal and external stakeholders
Communicate with all levels of stakeholders, keeping them informed of progress and managing escalation where appropriate
Develop and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues, customers and other relevant stakeholders
Manage and prioritise the allocated workload effectively making best use of time and resources
Complete documentation relevant to the task and escalate where appropriate
Install or undertake basic software upgrades,either physically or remotely
Establish and diagnose the extent of the IT support task, in line with the organisation's policies and Service Level Agreements
Provide remote/F2F support to resolve customer requirements
Maintain a safe working environment for own personal safety and others in line with Health & Safety appropriate to the task

Your training plan

This is a cross college/campus role.

Head office: City Campus, Granville Road, Sheffield, S2 2RL.

College attendance: Day release

Venue: @ City Campus, Granville Road, Sheffield, S2 2RL.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

English and Maths (grade A* - C/9-4/or equivalent)

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Communication skills
IT skills
Organisation skills
Customer care skills
Problem solving skills
Analytical skills
Team working
Initiative
Non judgemental

Other requirements

The Application Support Apprentice will support the delivery, maintenance, and enhancement of business-critical applications that underpin core services across the organisation. This role is key to ensuring that staff and students can effectively use digital tools and systems that support teaching, learning, and operational delivery. The apprentice will work closely with the wider IT systems team, including infrastructure engineers and application specialists, to help implement technology solutions, support system upgrades, and contribute to the smooth rollout of new digital services. They will assist in planning and delivering IT change projects, taking part in the implementation, testing, and deployment of both software and hardware solutions.

About this company

The Sheffield College is a further and higher education college that provides academic, vocational and professional qualifications to approximately 14,500 young people and adults a year. Our mission is transforming lives through learning. The college, which is Ofsted graded ‘good’, provides high quality academic, technical and vocational training to enhance qualifications, skills and employability across the region, and operates from a number of campuses and sites across the city.

https://www.sheffcol.ac.uk/ (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

Discussed and agreed as applicable.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is: