Sales Apprentice

NORTHGATE VEHICLE HIRE LIMITED

Darlington (DL1 4PZ)

Closes in 19 days (Monday 24 August 2026 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 4 August 2026

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Summary

This 36-month Sales Degree Apprenticeship offers hands-on experience across New Business, Account Management, Inside Sales, Branch Operations, and Product & Marketing. You’ll learn the full sales cycle while working with customers and colleagues, gaining practical skills alongside block-release study with Leeds Trinity University.

Wage

£14,560 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Training course
Business to business sales professional (integrated degree) (level 6)
Hours
Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm.

35 hours a week

Start date

Tuesday 6 October 2026

Duration

3 years

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

1. Inside Sales

  • Handle inbound customer enquiries and develop confidence in making outbound calls.
  • Learn quotation processes, pricing frameworks, and sales order procedures.
  • Develop skills in objection handling and product recommendations.
  • Learn how to manage and influence existing B2B customers, achieving growth & retention targets whilst reducing client churn.

2.New Business Development

  • Support prospecting and lead-generation activities.
  • Learn how to qualify customer needs and prepare commercial proposals.
  • Gain experience in sales pitching, pipeline management, and CRM systems.

3. Account Management

  • Work with experienced Account Managers to support existing client relationships.
  • Understand how to deliver excellent customer service, manage renewals, and identify opportunities for growth.
  • Learn how to analyse customer data to support decision making.

 4. Branch Network Experience

  • Spend time within our operational branches to develop a first-hand understanding of our products, services, and customer interactions.
  • Learn how branch teams support customers, fulfil orders, and contribute to sales performance at a local level.
  • Build strong product and operational knowledge that will support your effectiveness in a sales role.

5. Product & Marketing

  • Learn how we build and position our product range.
  • Gain insight into campaign planning, product launches, and market research.
  • Understand how product intelligence supports the sales cycle and customer conversations.

6. Apprenticeship Training

As part of your 36‑month programme, you will complete:

  • 20% off‑the‑job learning, including online modules, project work, coaching, and self-directed study.
  • Block-release training on campus, delivered by Leeds Trinity University
  • Regular progress reviews with your line manager and apprenticeship mentor.
  • A final End-Point Assessment (EPA) to achieve your official apprenticeship qualification.

Where you'll work

Northgate Centre
Lingfield Way
Darlington
DL1 4PZ

Training

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

Training provider

LEEDS TRINITY UNIVERSITY

Training course

Business to business sales professional (integrated degree) (level 6)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents
  • Working with others: Influential, able to conduct stakeholder analysis and develop strong relationships at all levels, internally and externally, to build trust. Interacts professionally and ethically maintaining a positive and flexible attitude. Demonstrates emotional intelligence.
  • Consultative Selling: Works with customers to identify new business and market challenges, utilising insights and good questioning and listening techniques. Identifies strategic & innovative solutions integrating products and excellent service solutions, to meet customer needs.
  • Pitching: Leads a confident, clear and compelling sales pitch in front of a customer, which builds rapport, establishes credibility and delivers commercial benefit. Handles questions, objections and demonstrates the value of the proposal in a clear, quantifiable way.
  • Negotiation and Closing: Applies the principles of negotiation, develops strategies and tactics to a mutually agreeable outcome, ensuring both customer and supplier leave committed to the outcome.
  • Psychology of Sales: Critically reflects on the different psychological needs of customers and other key stakeholders in the buying/selling process. Takes into account strategic and organisational context when adapting their sales approaches, by using the psychological models pertinent to developing positive and ethical buyer and seller relationships.
  • Leveraging Digital Business: Adopts different approaches to social selling & digital technologies which aid the sales process. Develops a digital selling strategy that leverages social selling to support lead generation, nurturing and customer engagement. Develops digital networks and drives insight-led engagements. Measures results and return on investment.

Training schedule

This apprenticeship combines practical on‑the‑job learning with dedicated off‑the‑job training, including attendance at planned block-release learning delivered on campus by Leeds Trinity University. Upon successful completion of the apprenticeship, you will gain an integrated degree in Business to Business Sales Professional.

 

More training information

Leeds Trinity University are the training provider and delivery of the course will take place in person at the City Centre Campus 1 Trevelyan Square, Leeds, LS1 6AE.

Requirements

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
  • Patience

About this employer

Northgate Vehicle Hire Limited is one of the UK’s leading commercial vehicle hire and mobility solutions providers, supplying and managing fleets for businesses across a wide range of sectors. The company offers flexible vehicle hire, fleet management, maintenance, and mobility services through a nationwide network of branches, helping organisations keep their vehicles operational and their businesses moving efficiently.

https://www.northgatevehiclehire.co.uk/hire-options?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=No (opens in new tab)

Disability Confident

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

Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).

On completion of the Business to Business Sales Degree Apprenticeship, apprentices can progress into roles such as Business Development Executive, Account Manager, Key Account Manager, Sales Manager.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

LEEDS TRINITY UNIVERSITY

Elliot Viles

e.viles@leedstrinity.ac.uk

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000046198.

Apply now

Closes in 19 days (Monday 24 August 2026 at 11:59pm)