Apprentice Customer Service Assistant within Sandwell Prevention Stores

Summary

You will be working as part of a team providing support for this service, dealing with customer requests and supporting your colleagues with day-to-day administrative tasks, whilst working towards a Level 2 Customer Service Practitioner qualification.

Wage

£14,526.20 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

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Training course

Customer service practitioner (level 2)

Hours

Working week You will be required to work alternating shift patterns: Week 1 Monday- Thursday 8am- 4pm Friday 8am- 3.30pm Week 2 Monday- Thursday 9am- 5pm Friday 9.30am- 5pm

37 hours a week

Start date

Monday 4 August 2025

Duration

1 year

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

Sandwell Council supports vulnerable people in the community to live independent lives, by supplying equipment to aid them in their daily routine. Your main duties and responsibilities will be:

Undertake a range of administrative / IT based duties
Answer the telephone & relay accurate messages back to relevant staff as appropriate
Effectively communicate with departments, colleagues & visitors from all sources either by phone, email, or via request
Carry out auditing of files & keeping up to date with relevant documentation by way of regular filing
Prepare correspondence/resources in readiness to attend meetings & take minutes
Arrange meetings on behalf of Prevention Stores staff
Use ICT equipment and software using an in-house database system to keep accurate records
To assist with incoming and outgoing post
Receive, check and process invoices for payment
To support the team to produce reports
Develop customer service skills to contribute to the delivery of our services
Be accountable for the quality of your work and take responsibility for maintaining and improving your knowledge and skills
To comply with policies of Sandwell MBC including Procurement, Moving & Handling, Health & Safety, Data Protection and Equality and Diversity

Where you'll work

Sandwell Prevention Stores
Dolton Way
Tipton
DY4 9AL

Training

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

College or training organisation

JUNIPER TRAINING LIMITED

Your training course

Customer service practitioner (level 2)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents

Use a range of questioning skills, including listening and responding in a way that builds rapport, determines customer needs and expectations and achieves positive engagement and delivery.
Depending on your job role and work environment: Use appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication skills, along with summarising language during face-to-face communications; and/or
Depending on your job role and work environment: Use appropriate communication skills, along with reinforcement techniques (to confirm understanding) during non-facing customer interactions.
Depending on your job role and work environment: Use an appropriate ‘tone of voice’ in all communications, including written and digital, that reflect the organisation’s brand.
Provide clear explanations and offer options in order to help customers make choices that are mutually beneficial to both the customer and your organisation.
Be able to organise yourself, prioritise your own workload/activity and work to meet deadlines.
Demonstrate patience and calmness.
Show you understand the customer’s point of view.
Use appropriate sign-posting or resolution to meet your customers needs and manage expectations.
Maintain informative communication during service recovery.

Your training plan

The apprenticeship training will be delivered in the workplace, as you will receive visits from a college assessor

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

English (grade 4-9)
Maths (grade 4-9)

Other in:

Literacy (grade Level 2)
Numeracy (grade Level 2)

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
Attention to detail
Organisation skills
Customer care skills
Problem solving skills
Presentation skills
Administrative skills
Number skills
Analytical skills
Logical
Team working
Creative
Initiative
Non judgemental
Patience
Safeguarding
Data Protection
Empathy
Client Confidentiality
Flexible & Reliable
Keyboard skills

Other requirements

PROOF OF QUALIFICATION CERTIFICATES WILL BE REQUIRED UPON APPLICATION. Be aware that you will come into contact with sensitive information of which data security must be maintained. You will need to be flexible & be very confident in talking to people at all levels. You must be prepared to adhere with Policies including the Data Protection Act

About this company

Sandwell is a large, multicultural metropolitan borough situated in the heart of the Black Country, to the west of Birmingham, within the West Midlands conurbation and with a population of over 280,000. The Council is one of the largest employers in the Borough with employees in a variety of occupations, providing a comprehensive range of services. For more information about Sandwell Council’s apprenticeship programme and our recruitment process please visit our YouTube channel. Find out more information on Sandwell’s Values and Behaviours on the council’s webpage. For more information on careers in local government you can view a copy of the Local Government Career Guide.

http://www.sandwell.gov.uk (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

This apprenticeship is a fixed term 12 month contract
However the skills, knowledge and experience gained in this apprenticeship will allow you to gain future opportunities in the sector

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