Engagement Apprentice
Dean and Chapter of Westminster
London (SW1P 3PA)
Closes in 27 days (Wednesday 1 July 2026)
Posted on 4 June 2026
Contents
Summary
Westminster Abbey is looking for a motivated and passionate individual who is interested in gaining hands on experience in the heritage sector to join our dynamic Engagement Team.
- Wage
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£26,332 a year
- Training course
- Cultural learning and participation officer (level 3)
- Hours
-
The full-time equivalent hours are 40 hours per week. This role also involves some ad-hoc evening and weekend working, including at least one Saturday per month. Time off in lieu will be given. Exact working days and hours TBC.
40 hours a week
- Start date
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Tuesday 1 September 2026
- Duration
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1 year 6 months
- 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
In this role, you’ll support the planning and delivery of both our events and community engagement programmes, working to create avenues for people of all ages and backgrounds to connect with the story of the Abbey. We run a varied programme of talks, tours, workshops and activities days that take inspiration from the Abbey’s enduring role as a place of worship and national memory. You’ll play a key role in the, planning and delivery of our public engagement programmes, alongside supporting our digital initiatives. This role is managed by the Adult Engagement Manager, and your primary focus will be on developing activities for adults, with regular opportunities to work on projects aimed at families and young people.
This role is part of the Abbey’s commitment to social engagement and developing people. You’ll have the opportunity to contribute to various activities across different areas of engagement, working alongside a supportive team. Additionally, as part of your development, you will complete the Apprenticeship in Cultural Learning and Participation Level 3, a fantastic opportunity to learn on the job and gain valuable skills.
Where you'll work
Chapter Office
20 Deans yard
London
SW1P 3PA
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
WESTMINSTER CITY COUNCIL
Training course
Cultural learning and participation officer (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Plan, organise and co-ordinate education and community engagement projects on behalf of the organisation, in order to ensure the facilitator (visiting artist or company colleague, freelancer or volunteer) can deliver effectively This could typically include deciding on appropriate content and information including producing event schedules, artist and technical riders, booking artists and practitioners.
- Identify learning objectives of education and community engagement projects and suitability for target audience.
- Work within a set budget, use appropriate resources, venues, systems and technologies to implement the CLP projects ensuring they meet stated objectives and outcomes.
- Ensure projects comply with the organisation’s Health & Safety policies and procedures including Safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.
- Communicate clearly and effectively, adapting methods both verbal and non-verbal as appropriate to the stakeholder or audience, which may include public speaking and/or using social media and digital communication methods.
- Communicate the CLP projects aims, which may include artistic or cultural outcomes, skills and knowledge development, or a range of social and educational outcomes to audiences, partners and colleagues.
- Produce clear, concise project reports, fundraising applications and other written communications.
- Find and participate in professional networks such as arts and culture networks, meetings and events, performances and exhibitions, training and professional development events and industry membership schemes, in order to benefit the organisation.
- Establish, develop and maintain positive relationships with a wide variety of internal and external partners, artists, colleagues, participants and audiences that result in and/or enable successful projects.
- Build effective professional arts and cultural networks and identify the benefits they bring to the projects and wider organisation.
- Contribute and manage audience/participant/venue bookings and ensure artists/external practitioners are recruited for projects as per the organisation’s policies and procedures, including contracting requirements.
- Maintain artist/external practitioner and audience records as directed, which may include personal information, in-line with employer systems and data protection requirements.
- Have excellent time management skills, demonstrating your ability to be organised, meet deadlines within project timeframes and meet budgets requirements.
- Evaluate projects and use feedback to improve current and/or future activity.
- Provide high quality content, which may be in written or image form, as required, to internal/external communications for example e-bulletins, newsletter content, posters, print and meetings, to aid the promotion of, and engagement with, the organisation’s learning and participation programme.
- Contribute to fundraising activities including desk research on potential funding sources, note taking at audience consultation meetings, compiling data and information.
- Identify problems, generate and form ideas to resolve issues, by thinking creatively in response to challenges and identifying when to seek help and support from others.
- Collaborate effectively with colleagues, creative and cultural professionals and other organisations and partners to achieve project aims and objectives.
Training schedule
You will work 4 days a week at Westminster Abbey and study your Cultural Learning and Participation Officer Level 3 apprenticeship 1 day a week with Westminster Adult Education Service (WAES). You will have 2 taught sessions a month, 1 in person at one of our WAES London sites and 1 online via Teams. For the other weeks, you'll complete self-directed study.
https://www.waes.ac.uk/courses/apprenticeships/level-3-cultural-learning-and-participation-officer/
More training information
Westminster Adult Education Service has many years’ experience in successfully training and preparing apprentices for assessment from a wide range of businesses across a variety of sectors. They have a five-star rating from our apprenticeship employer partners on the Government’s apprenticeship service. They are specialists in Cultural Heritage apprenticeship provision. To find out more go to: https://www.waes.ac.uk/partnerships/apprenticeships/
Requirements
Desirable qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade C or above)
- Maths (grade C or 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
- Problem solving skills
- Presentation skills
- Administrative skills
- Number skills
- Analytical skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Creative
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
Other requirements
We’re looking for someone eager to learn and contribute to the Abbey’s mission of inspiring and engaging diverse audiences. A degree level qualification is not required for this role. The post-holder must have a Level 2 qualification in maths and English, or a willingness to achieve this level in the first year of the contract, in time for the end-point assessment of your apprenticeship.
About this employer
The Engagement team at Westminster Abbey work to create avenues for people of all ages and backgrounds to connect with the story of the Abbey. We do this by planning and delivering events such as talks, tours, activity days and workshops that are designed to make the Abbey interesting and accessible to as many people as possible. Our adult and family public programmes consist of regular events that take place in the Abbey. Through our community programmes we work with charities and community groups to create opportunities for people who cannot normally access the Abbey to engage with our historic building.
https://www.westminster-abbey.org/ (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
The full-time holiday entitlement is 33 days per annum, including recognised public holidays. All employees can join a Group Personal Pension plan.
After this apprenticeship
Apprentices are likely to go on to work across one or more art form such as visual, performing, digital, media or literary arts or with collections in heritage organisations such as museums.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
WESTMINSTER CITY COUNCIL
adult.programmes@westminster-abbey.org
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000034408.
Apply now
Closes in 27 days (Wednesday 1 July 2026)
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.