HR Apprentice (Level 3) - UCB
Cogent Ssc Limited
Slough (SL1 3WE)
Closes in 17 days (Monday 14 July 2025)
Posted on 25 June 2025
Contents
Summary
Join UCB, a global biopharmaceutical company focused on transforming the lives of people with severe diseases. We’re offering an exciting 18-month HR apprenticeship for someone starting in their HR journey, combining hands-on experience with a fully funded Level 3 CIPD qualification. You’ll be part of a passionate, supportive HR team.
- Wage
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£19,300 a year
Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Annual salary review with set salary increments based on performance
- Training course
- HR support (level 3)
- Hours
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Monday to Friday, 09:00 - 17:00, with one hour unpaid lunch break.
Flexible hours / working- UCB office core hours, 10.00am - 16.00, with the remainder of the working day made up to suit the individual.
37 hours 30 minutes a week
- Start date
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Monday 1 September 2025
- Duration
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1 year 6 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
Are you a people-person with big ambitions and a curious mind? Ready to take your first step into the world of HR? At UCB, we’re offering an exciting opportunity to launch your career through a 18-month HR apprenticeship, packed with real experience, expert guidance, and a fully funded Level 3 CIPD qualification.
UCB is a global biopharmaceutical company with a bold mission: to improve the lives of people living with severe diseases. With more than 9,000 employees around the world, our work in neurology and immunology is powered by science, but it’s inspired by people – our patients, our teams, and hopefully, you!
As our HR Apprentice, you’ll become part of a passionate, friendly team and get hands-on experience supporting over 700 UK-based colleagues. You’ll rotate across different parts of the HR function, including:
- A team of 4 Business Partners
- An Operations team of 5 (covering the employee lifecycle, pay, and benefits)
- A Recruitment team of 5
From helping to welcome new joiners to assisting with HR projects, employee communications and day-to-day support, you’ll be learning by doing – and supported every step of the way. This is a fantastic opportunity to build your confidence, grow your skills, and discover what a career in HR could look like for you.
If you’re eager to learn, love working with people, and want to be part of a company that truly cares – we can’t wait to meet you.
Main accountabilities:
- Monitoring and responding to first level employee queries though the on-line portal ‘HR Answers’
- Coordination of the starters and leavers process, including reference checking, reporting and communicating with other relevant departments
- Setting up and manage arrangements for all new hire inductions including slide preparations, collating induction packs, arranging catering
- Managing all aspects of training: including booking trainers, candidate registration, meeting invitations, distribution of pre-work, booking rooms and catering
- Support the relocation process for internal transfers and new recruits, through arranging temporary accommodation, and tracking financial spend and reporting to Finance for tax purposes
- Arranging and collating exit interviews and reporting on trends/ analysis
- Maintaining complete and accurate employee files – electronic and hard copy
- Processing all Purchase Orders and invoice processing in SAP to ensure department spend is managed effectively
Where you'll work
216 Bath Road
Slough
SL1 3WE
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
College or training organisation
BPP PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION LIMITED
Your training course
HR support (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Service Delivery: Delivers excellent customer service on a range of HR queries and requirements, providing solutions, advice and support primarily to managers. Builds managers’ expertise in HR matters, improving their ability to handle repeated situations themselves where appropriate. Uses agreed systems and processes to deliver service to customers. Takes the initiative to meet agreed individual and team KPIs in line with company policy, values, standards. Plans and organises their work, often without direct supervision, to meet commitments and KPIs.
- Problem Solving: Uses sound questioning and active listening skills to understand requirements and establish root causes before developing HR solutions. Takes ownership through to resolution, escalating complex situations as appropriate.
- Communication & Interpersonal: Deals effectively with customers/colleagues, using sound interpersonal skills and communicating well through a range of media eg phone, face to face, email, internet. Adapts their style to their audience. Builds trust and sound relationships with customers. Handles conflict and sensitive HR situations professionally and confidentially.
- Teamwork: Consistently supports colleagues /collaborates within the team and HR to achieve results. Builds/maintains strong working relationships with others in the team and across HR where necessary.
- Process Improvement: Identifies opportunities to improve HR performance and service; acts on them within the authority of their role. Supports implementation of HR changes/projects with the business.
- Managing HR Information: Maintains required HR records as part of services delivered. Prepares reports and management information from HR data, with interpretation as required.
- Personal Development: Keeps up to date with business changes and HR legal/policy/process changes relevant to their role. Seeks feedback and acts on it to improve their performance and overall capability.
Your training plan
Qualification to be delivered:
- CIPD level 3
- Apprenticeship Standard: Level 3 HR Support Apprenticeship
- Training Provider: BPP
- Delivery model: A blend of online learning and day release
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
Minimum of 5 (grade 4/C or above)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
- Administrative skills
- Analytical skills
- Team working
- Creative
- Non judgemental
Other requirements
Please ensure that you currently live within or can relocate to a commutable distance of the site.
About this company
As the specialists in skills for science and technology, our purpose is to make sure your business; your people and our industry are future ready. We are a not-for-profit charitable organisation with a family of commercially focused companies committed to supporting the skills, needs and ambitions across the UK science and technology sector.
https://cogentskills.com/vacancies/ (opens in new tab)
Disability Confident
A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.
You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.
After this apprenticeship
Upon successful completion of the apprenticeship you will be eligible to apply for other positions within the business. There is a possibility of progression on to the level 5 Apprenticeship in People Practice that delivers the CIPD level 5. This is subject to learner performance and business need at the time.
The training will expose the apprentice to a wide range of skills and competencies which would make them well placed for further study or suitable for many job opportunities in the life sciences sector.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
Cogent Ssc Limited
Tom Bretherton
thomas.bretherton@cogentskills.com
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000328024.
Apply now
Closes in 17 days (Monday 14 July 2025)
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After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.