Trade Counter Apprentice
DARLASTON BUILDERS MERCHANTS LIMITED
Walsall (WS2 9SF)
Closes on Friday 27 February 2026
Posted on 23 January 2026
Contents
Summary
Start your career in the builders’ merchant industry with a hands‑on Trade Counter Apprenticeship. You’ll learn how a busy merchant branch operates, gaining experience in customer service, sales, stock control, and product knowledge.
- Wage
-
£11,778 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Trade supplier (level 2)
- Hours
-
Rota basis 7-days per week between hours of 7:30am and 5:00pm Monday to Saturday and 9:00am - 4:00pm Sundays
30 hours a week
- Start date
-
Sunday 1 March 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
- Assisting in processing sales and serve customers
- To assist transport operation to plan the workload on a daily basis
- Physically assist in all aspects of the daily delivery operations if/when required
- To assist with annual DVLA licence checks, driver declaration forms and monitor vehicle tracking activities and reports
- Inputting data on a spreadsheet
- Cash handling, operating a till
- Dealing with customers both face to face and over the telephone
- Giving excellent customer service and sound product advice
- Taking a proactive approach to building material sales, using every opportunity to make or increase a sale
- Must be able to grasp the EPOS system to ensure the correct building products are processed on the system
- Advise customers of products and general understanding of building products
- Liaise with customers both over the phone and in person, taking orders, resolving issues, and offering product advice
- Must have some IT knowledge of using computer systems
- Restock products, maintain stock levels and carry out stock checks for audits
- Using the EPOS system to process deliveries
- Liaise with Yard Staff daily
Where you'll work
Darlaston Builders Merchants
471 Darlaston Road
Walsall
WS2 9SF
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
STAFF SELECT LTD
Training course
Trade supplier (level 2)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Knowledge and understanding of the organisation’s: communicating confidently to internal and external customers about the company and how it operates
- Knowledge and understanding of the organisation’s: identifying and communicating with the relevant person if a threat or risk to the business is identified
- specialist trade customer profile of the business: using appropriate techniques and forms of communication to put customers at ease and gain their trust.
- specialist trade customer profile of the business: delivering customer service that exceeds customer expectations
- specialist trade customer profile of the business: identifying customer requirements and referring them onwards in an appropriate manner
- trade counter and telesales services: assisting customers in exploring product ranges and alternative and complementary products and services, based on the fundamental underpinning product knowledge
- trade counter and telesales services: identifying the customers’ requirements, matching them to the trade supplier’s products and services
- trade counter and telesales services: delivering accurate product information, to enable the customer to make a decision on products and services and know how to access the detailed technical specification of a product when required.
- trade counter and telesales services: securing a trade sale using appropriate selling techniques, both face to face and on the telephone, and methods to complete the transaction.
- trade counter and telesales services: applying basic merchandising techniques used within the business.
- trade counter and telesales services: applying the key principles of selling in a trade supplier environment, using a variety of methods, which may include unique selling points, upselling, and link selling to secure and complete sales transactions.
- trade counter and telesales services: communicating with customers using various methods and systems appropriate to the situation
- trade counter and telesales services: applying the key principles of administration and working practices to accurately prepare, store, communicate and process businesses documentation.
- trade counter and telesales services: processing information, to the key standards of data protection, security and intellectual property rights.
- key principles of warehousing and stock control: processing and recording the receipt, storage, assembly and despatch of goods.
- key principles of warehousing and stock control: receiving stock, despatching customer orders and processing returns in line with company processes.
- key principles of warehousing and stock control: loading /unloading of supplier and contractor vehicles
- technologies that are appropriate to the role: using technology appropriately and efficiently in line with business policy, e.g. PoS (point of sale) machines, PCs
- technologies that are appropriate to the role: demonstrating the use of various technologies, e.g. bespoke/in house or off the shelf software packages to others.
- legislative responsibilities relating to the business, products and/or services being sold: complying with legal requirements to minimise risk and build customer confidence.
- legislative responsibilities relating to the business, products and/or services being sold: minimising disruption to the business and maintaining the safety and security of people at all time
- legislative responsibilities relating to the business, products and/or services being sold: taking appropriate action if a breach of H&S regulations is identified.
- personal responsibilities and performance contribute to the success of the team and the business: building two-way trust and contribute to working within a team
- personal responsibilities and performance contribute to the success of the team and the business: collaborating with colleagues to resolve problems.
- personal responsibilities and performance contribute to the success of the team and the business: managing personal performance by completing tasks to agreed standards and timescales and by taking action to resolve problems and communicating issues beyond own level of competence.
- personal responsibilities and performance contribute to the success of the team and the business: demonstrating effective time management through planning and prioritising own workload.
- personal responsibilities and performance contribute to the success of the team and the business: identifying own strengths, weaknesses and development needs.
Training schedule
Trade Supplier Level 2.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- english (grade 4 or above)
- maths (grade 4 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
- Customer care skills
- Administrative skills
- Number skills
- Team working
- Initiative
- Patience
- Physical fitness
About this employer
Darlaston Builders Merchants is one of the Midlands leading suppliers of Building, Landscaping, Civils and DIY materials and operates from six branches across the Black Country and Birmingham, with over 70 employees.
Our well-earned reputation and the 40+-year establishment in the trade allows us to provide the best customer service possible, including high quality materials at very competitive prices.
After this apprenticeship
Permanent position within the trade counter.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
STAFF SELECT LTD
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000010373.
Apply now
Closes on Friday 27 February 2026