Visitor Experience & Customer Service Apprentice within the Education Team at Forge Mill Farm
Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council
West Bromwich (B71 3SZ)
Closes in 19 days (Monday 5 January 2026 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 17 December 2025
Contents
Summary
Support Forge Mill Farm’s Education Team in delivering engaging programmes while providing excellent customer service, assisting with events and interacting with visitors. This varied role offers valuable opportunities to develop visitor service skills and contribute to creating a welcoming environment for everyone that visits the farm.
- Wage
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£14,526.20 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Customer service practitioner (level 2)
- Hours
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Hours of work are typically 8:30am to 4:30pm, Monday to Sunday. You will work 5 days out of 7 on a rota basis, including alternate weekends, with some evenings and Bank Holidays required in line with the Events Timetable.
37 hours a week
- Start date
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Monday 2 March 2026
- Duration
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1 year
- 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
- Assist the Education Team in welcoming and guiding visitor groups, providing opportunities and experiences unique to Forge Mill Farm
- Lead and deliver, with supervision, school and group visits to Forge Mill Farm and Sandwell Valley. Build skills and confidence with the aim of delivering programmes independently by the end of the apprenticeship
- Work daily with children, young people, and farm animals, helping participants experience something new, grow in confidence, and gain knowledge. Activities include farm tours, food preparation, woodland challenges, growing and harvesting food, cleaning pens, and feeding animals
- Support the Education Team with school visit bookings, sending information packs, and updating the education calendar
- Prepare learning spaces by setting up tables, chairs, equipment, resources, drinks, animal food, and activity cards
- Reset spaces after visits, cleaning and storing equipment, tables, and benches
- Carry out cleaning duties to keep learning spaces tidy and welcoming, e.g., sweeping, mopping, and emptying bins after sessions
- Work with visitors of all ages and abilities, including very young children, vulnerable people, and those with disabilities, as well as large school groups
- Assist the Education Team in compiling feedback and data, including entry into internal systems
- Work every other weekend, supporting the day-to-day running of the Gift Shop, Reception Area, and Natural Play Barn. Duties include answering phones, taking bookings, serving customers, operating the till, and general administration
- Carry out cleaning duties in the shop, reception, and play barn to ensure all areas remain welcoming throughout the day
- Support with emergencies and incidents such as spillages, sickness, lost children, or animal escapes
- Gain experience across other teams, assisting where needed within the wider visitor attraction
Where you'll work
Forge Mill Farm
Forge Lane
West Bromwich
B71 3SZ
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
SANDWELL 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
Customer Service Practitioner Level 2.
The apprenticeship training will be delivered in the workplace, as you will receive visits from a college assessor. The apprenticeship will also include a proportion of 20% Off the Job Training and a robust programme of Mandatory Apprentice Training provided by Sandwell Council to include Fire Awareness, Prevent, Safeguarding, Data Protection & Cyber Security and Equality & Diversity.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English Language (grade A-C/9-4)
- Maths (grade A-D/9-3)
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
- Team working
- Initiative
- Maintain confidentiality
- Data Protection
- Flexible attitude
- Approachable manner
- Polite and friendly
- Positive attitude
- Wear PPE/Council uniform
- Presentable & Professional
Other requirements
This role is best suited to someone who is customer‑focused, enthusiastic about creating excellent visitor experiences, and comfortable working around animals in all weather conditions. Proof of relevant qualifications will be required.
About this employer
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)
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
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.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
SANDWELL COLLEGE
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000005627.
Apply now
Closes in 19 days (Monday 5 January 2026 at 11:59pm)
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