Customer Service Apprentice

Barnsley College

Barnsley (S70 2AX)

Closes in 9 days (Thursday 4 September 2025 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 26 August 2025

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Summary

Are you ready to start or re-start your career in Customer Service? Would you like to earn whilst you learn? Barnsley College are looking for a highly motivated, enthusiastic, apprentice to join their busy Student Recruitment Department. The role of a Customer Service Practitioner is to deliver a high-quality service to the business’ customers.

Wage

£14,918.80 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Substantial annual leave entitlement (Up to 47 days per year including bank and public holidays!) College gym membership with onsite facilities Supporting employee mental health through access to free counselling services.

Training course
Customer service practitioner (level 2)
Hours
Monday - Thursday, 8.30am - 5.00pm and Friday, 8.30am - 4.30pm.

37 hours 30 minutes a week

Start date

Monday 29 September 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

The role will involve:

Front-of-house reception services, dealing with a wide range of customers, operating the main switchboard, administration duties involving a range of IT systems and events.

  • Develop an understanding of the business, its ‘brand promise', values and service culture and uphold this through the services provided
  • Understand and follow internal policies and procedures, including any complaints processes and digital media policies
  • Understand the needs and expectations of the business’s customers and strive to meet these through excellent customer service delivery
  • Understand and uphold appropriate legislation and regulatory requirements
  • Use systems, equipment and technology to meet the needs of the customers
  • Monitor customer service levels
  • Establish facts that enable the creation of a customer-focused experience and appropriate response
  • Build trust with a customer
  • Understand the products or services that are available from the organisation and keep up-to-date
  • Use appropriate communication methods, depending on the task and environment
  • Use appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication skills, along with summarising language during face-to-face communications
  • Use appropriate communication skills, along with reinforcement techniques (to confirm understanding) during non-facing customer interactions
  • Use an appropriate ‘tone of voice’ in all communications, including written and digital, that reflect the business’s brand
  • Provide clear explanations and offer options in order to help customers make choices that are mutually beneficial to both the customer and the business
  • Demonstrate patience and calmness
  • Understand the customer’s point of view
  • Use appropriate signposting or resolution to meet customer needs and manage expectations
  • Maintain informative communication during service recovery
  • Take ownership of keeping service knowledge and skills up-to-date
  • Consider personal goals and propose development opportunities
  • Act on and seek feedback to develop or maintain personal service skills and knowledge
  • Frequently and consistently communicate and work with colleagues in the interest of helping customers efficiently
  • Treat customers as individuals to provide a personalised customer service experience
  • Demonstrate personal pride in the job through appropriate dress and positive and confident language
  • Take ownership from the first contact and then take responsibility for fulfilling the promise to the customer

Where you'll work

Church Street
Barnsley
S70 2AX

Training

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

Training provider

BARNSLEY COLLEGE

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.

Training schedule

  • Delivery to be completed on-site and 6 hours per week off the job training either at Barnsley College or at your place of work
  • Student to complete an Intermediate Technical Certificate as a Customer Service Practitioner Level 2
  • Functional Skills in maths and English, if required

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English (grade 4)
  • Maths (grade 4)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

  • Communication skills
  • IT skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Organisation skills
  • Customer care skills
  • Administrative skills
  • Team working
  • Initiative

About this employer

We are a further education college. With a wide range of over 300 courses covering subjects from Animal Care, Business and Catering, to Forensics, Motorsport and Performing Arts, our campuses offer purpose-built accommodation for each subject to ensure that our students are learning in industry-standard facilities that reflect the environment you will work in after finishing your studies. Many of our College facilities are working and operating as commercial businesses alongside everyday teaching. This means you will get the opportunity to not only learn in the right environment for your studies but gain real life work experience in your chosen career, giving you a better chance over other candidates when you come to apply for employment.

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

After this apprenticeship

  • Possible progression opportunities

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

BARNSLEY COLLEGE

Amanda Ogley

apprenticeships@barnsley.ac.uk

+441226216166

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000338821.

Apply now

Closes in 9 days (Thursday 4 September 2025 at 11:59pm)

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