Apprentice Customer Service Assistant within the Community Alarms Team
Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council
Tipton (DY4 9AL)
Closes in 8 days (Friday 13 February 2026 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 2 February 2026
Contents
Summary
An exciting opportunity to work as an effective team member within our Community Alarms Team; our monitoring, installation and assessment and call handling service, based within Tipton. You will ensure that a balanced programme of support provision meets local needs, whilst undertaking a Level 2 Customer Service Practitioner qualification
- Wage
-
£14,526.20 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Customer service practitioner (level 2)
- Hours
-
Monday to Friday - exact start/finish times to be confirmed
37 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 27 April 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
As a member of Community Alarms Team, your role and main duties will consist of:
- To assist in providing customers with all aspects of their support needs, with special emphasis on encouraging their independence – ensuring customer journey is an exemplary experience
- To respond to emergencies and support customers back to safety following a non-injurious fall, or liaising with 999 emergency services
- Be involved in and promotion of the needs of service users to instil confidence by encouraging independence
- Ensure the effective and safe use of equipment and other aids that have been assessed and provided to customers
- To have due regard at all times for the comfort, well-being and self-respect of all customers
- Work collaboratively with individuals, families, carers, communities and other professionals to ensure the best outcomes are reached for customers
- Ensure that all activity is accurately documented/recorded on the call handling Jontek system for continuity of support in accordance with policies and procedures
- To attend in service training and external training as appropriate, consistent with job role and responsibilities
- To be aware of own training needs and be committed to your own continuing professional development
- Report any accidents/complaints/untoward incidents to the Management Team in a timely fashion and in accordance with existing policies and procedures
- To report any incident of ill treatment to a resident, to the Manager and, if not satisfied with appropriateness of the action taken, to Senior Management
- It is your responsibility to carry out your duties in line with the Council's policy on equality and be sensitive and caring to the needs of the disadvantaged, promoting a positive approach to a harmonious working environment, in line with the Equality Act 2010
- The post holder must at all times carry out their responsibilities with due regard to the Council's policy, organisation and arrangements for Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
Where you'll work
Sandwell Prevention Stores
Dolton Way
Tipton
DY4 9AL
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
The apprenticeship training will be delivered in the workplace and you will receive visits from a college assessor
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 9-4 / A-C)
- Maths (grade 9-3 / A-D)
Other in:
- English (grade Level 2)
- Maths (grade Level 1-2)
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
- Empathy
- Client confidentiality
- Data Protection
- Willing to learn
- Respect for others
- Flexibility
Other requirements
Proof of Qualification Certificates will be required during the application process. This position will ideally suit someone with a confident and outgoing personality, and who enjoys talking to a wide variety of people. You must be willing to shadow senior post holders and attend any relevant training, as well as being flexible to support the needs of the post. You will need to have a mature a professional approach and have a due regard for Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable adults, therefore you will be required to undertake an Enhanced DBS check prior to commencing in the post. We reserve the right to close vacancies prior to their advertised date, if we receive a large number of applications. Therefore, you are strongly advised to complete and return your application as soon as possible
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.
After this apprenticeship
- This apprenticeship is a fixed term contract
- However, 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 VAC2000011514.
Apply now
Closes in 8 days (Friday 13 February 2026 at 11:59pm)