Revenue & Benefits Customer Service Apprentice

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council

Oldbury (B69 3DB)

Closes in 17 days (Monday 5 January 2026 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 19 December 2025

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Summary

Sandwell Council is offering an exciting opportunity to a motivated individual to join our Revenue and Benefits Service as a Customer Service Apprentice. This role is ideal for someone looking to start their career in local government, gain valuable workplace experience and achieve a nationally recognised qualification while earning a salary.

Wage

£14,526.20 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- Friday between the hours of 8am- 5pm

37 hours a week

Start date

Monday 2 March 2026

Duration

1 year

Positions available

2

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

You will support the Revenues and Benefits team in delivering high-quality customer-focused services, ensuring compliance with legislation, council policies and service standards.

With full training and support, your duties will include:

  • Assisting with the processing and distribution of documents using the Council’s document imaging systems
  • Providing customer service and general advice on Revenues and Benefits processes via telephone, email, written correspondence and face-to-face contact
  • Using council computer systems accurately to process information in line with legislation, regulations and council policies
  • Maintaining high standards of accuracy, quality and productivity to meet service performance targets
  • Supporting colleagues and working effectively as part of a team
  • Seeking guidance on complex or contentious cases from supervisors or experienced colleagues
  • Keeping records of work completed and providing management information when required
  • Actively following the Council’s Customer Care, Equality, Health & Safety and Quality policies

Where you'll work

Freeth Street
Oldbury
B69 3DB

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 Apprenticeship:

  • 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
  • If required, Functional Skills in English and maths will be completed prior to End-Point Assessment

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English Language (grade A-C/ 9-4/ Level 2 equivalent)
  • Maths (grade A-D/ 9-3/ Level 1 equivalent)

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
  • Initiative
  • Non judgemental
  • Patience
  • Flexible attitude

Other requirements

Proof of Qualifications will be required during the recruitment process.  

This position will ideally suit someone who would like to work within a busy customer service environment.

This role will involve a combination of working from home and working from Sandwell Council House in Oldbury.

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)

After this apprenticeship

  • This apprenticeship is a fixed term 12 month contract
  • 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 VAC2000005684.

Apply now

Closes in 17 days (Monday 5 January 2026 at 11:59pm)