Customer Service/Business Administration Apprentice

H.F.T. FORKLIFTS LTD

HEREFORD (HR2 6LA)

Closes in 24 days (Friday 10 April 2026 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 17 March 2026

Print

Contents

Summary

To support the key business areas with administration support.  To learn & develop skills to have an understanding of all operational roles. The successful candidate will spend 12 months working in each dept of the business learning all aspects of the company before settling into a specific administration role.

Wage

£15,704 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)

Training course
Customer service practitioner (level 2)
Hours
Monday to Friday 8.00am to 16.30pm including half hour unpaid lunch.

40 hours a week

Start date

Wednesday 1 July 2026

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

Whilst experiencing reception, operator training, operations and fleet services tasks will include:

  • Telephone calls
  • Emails
  • Dealing with visitors
  • Distributing post
  • Taking training enquiries and following through to booking and invoicing
  • Booking trainers & contractors
  • Registering delegates and producing certificates
  • Assisting with health & safety checks
  • Goods in support & goods return management
  • Equipment service and thorough examination planning
  • Chasing & producing quotes
  • Assisting the team with sales paperwork & e-filing
  • Hire enquiries & transport
  • Supporting the accounts function

During the initial 12 months of training, we aim to identify a role which suits both the candidate and HFT requirements.

Where you'll work

INFINITY HOUSE
FIR TREE LANE
ROTHERWAS INDUSTRIAL ESTATE
HEREFORD
HR2 6LA

Training

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

Training provider

HEREFORDSHIRE AND WORCESTERSHIRE GROUP TRAINING ASSOCIATION LIMITED

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

Formal training is delivered at HWGTA, located Holmer Road, Hereford HR4 9SX.

You will receive a training plan that is specific to your qualification, with sessions that are delivered through a combination of face-to-face and remote. 

Additional training for functional skills in English and maths will be undertaken if needed.

You will receive monthly visits from your assigned Learning and Development Specialist, who will set you work, monitor your development and wellbeing, and discuss training sessions. They will also prepare you for your End Point Assessment to gain your  Customer Service Level 2 qualification.

There is also a five-day teambuilding residential trip that is held in the spring of each year offered to all apprentices on programme.

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

English and Maths (grade 4 or C above)

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

Other requirements

There is an element of flexibility on a start month for this vacancy (approx. between April and August). Please note the position may close earlier than stated if the right candidate is found.

About this employer

HFT Forklifts is a family run business that has been operating for over 40 years within the material handling sector.  When it comes to forklift trucks and material handling equipment – HFT sells, hires, services and maintains it, we provide 24 hour breakdown cover, provide operator and instructor training as well as having a catalogue of over 15,000 warehouse products.

https://www.hftforklifts.com/ (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

  • Life assurance 3x salary
  • Medicash cashback health plan
  • Pension plan & salary sacrifice scheme available

After this apprenticeship

If starting on Customer Service 2 – progress to Business Administration 3.  Dependent on role at end of apprenticeship

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

HEREFORDSHIRE AND WORCESTERSHIRE GROUP TRAINING ASSOCIATION LIMITED

Lisa Wilkinson

lisa.wilkinson@hwgta.org

01432377002

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000020896.

Apply now

Closes in 24 days (Friday 10 April 2026 at 11:59pm)