Apprentice Environmental Health Practitioner

Stoke-on-Trent City Council

Staffordshire (ST4 1HH)

Closes in 13 days (Monday 22 June 2026)

Posted on 8 June 2026

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Contents

Summary

We’re excited to offer an incredible opportunity to become an Environmental Health Practitioner. Employed full time by Stoke-on-Trent City Council for a fixed term period of five years, you would be expected to attend the University of Wolverhampton for one day a week to complete a BSc (Hons) in Environmental Health.

Wage

£15,392 to £24,454.04, depending on your age

National Minimum Wage

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Training course
Environmental health practitioner (integrated degree) (level 6)
Hours
As per service requirements (shifts TBC)

37 hours a week

Start date

Tuesday 1 September 2026

Duration

5 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

  • Support colleagues in carrying out their statutory duties, whilst acquiring and applying the technical expertise and developing personal competency to perform the same duties across a range of Environmental Health functions
  • Develop knowledge of legislation, codes of practice, procedures and guidance, departmental policies and technical and professional practice, relevant and appropriate to the role
  • Develop the skills and knowledge to conduct basic investigations, inspections and interventions across a range of Environmental Health functions, producing written reports, recording actions, preparing witness statements and progressing formal enforcement as directed and in so far as authorised to do so
  • Develop the skills and knowledge required to prepare and provide advice and assistance to businesses and residents in response to service requests as directed and in so far as authorised to do so
  • Participate in and make an active contribution to projects and operations as directed and in so far as authorised to do so
  • Develop and maintain effective collaborative working with team members, other colleagues, external agencies and partners, delivering high standards and high quality of services to all stakeholders
  • Establish and maintain records, including the use of standard and bespoke computer systems, in an accurate and timely manner
  • Work flexibly as directed across a range of Environmental Health functions within legal qualification and authorisation parameters, including outside of typical office hours as needed, for example, early morning, evening and weekend working on some occasions
  • To drive in the course of daily duties, ensuing suitable and sufficient personal insurance is maintained, business mileage is recorded and sharing the responsibility for the cleanliness and condition of any fleet vehicles used
  • To respect confidentiality and privacy for information held at all times and be responsible for the safe custody of council issued equipment, samples, evidence and exhibits, reporting any issues to a senior officer as soon as possible
  • Observe and adhere to the Council’s Health and Safety Policy, working procedures, practices and guidelines as directed, whilst maintaining personal safety and that of colleagues, including the appropriate use of PPE as required, reporting any issues to a senior officer as soon as possible
  • To complete on and off the job training in line with the required standard and attend training days as directed with the ability to travel to college/training provider location as required
  • To complete all coursework by target dates and attend training activities as required
  • To work with an assessor and workplace mentor to create a work-based portfolio of evidence
  • To undertake statutory & mandatory training as required
  • To complete Functional Skills in numeracy and literacy if required as part of the apprenticeship unless exempt from this requirement
  • To put the knowledge and skills gained whilst training into practice within the workplace
  • Any other duties appropriate to the post

Where you'll work

Civic Centre
Glebe Street
Stoke-on-Trent
Staffordshire
ST4 1HH

Training

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

Training provider

UNIVERSITY OF WOLVERHAMPTON

Training course

Environmental health practitioner (integrated degree) (level 6)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents
  • Provide specialist, professional and technical environmental health advice and guidance to a range of stakeholders such as residents, businesses, property owners, government agencies and partners
  • Plan, undertake and lead inspections, audits and other forms of investigations across the breadth of environmental health matters
  • Evaluate applications and grant relevant licences and permits eg. environmental permits, HMOs, caravan sites, skin piercing, tattooists etc
  • Negotiate with and influence a range of stakeholders in relation to a range of environmental health matters
  • Identify, evaluate and communicate environmental health risks and risk management solutions to a range of stakeholders
  • Ensure all activities are undertaken in accordance with relevant legislation, guidance and codes of practice
  • Infer and apply a range of legislation related to environmental health, eg. the Environment Act, Environmental Protection Act, the Health and Safety at Work Act, Food Safety Act, Housing Act, Public Health Act, Police and Criminal Evidence Act, data protection legislation, anti-social behaviour legislation etc
  • Employ a range of research, analytical and problem-solving techniques to resolve environmental health issues through creative and critical thinking, devising practical solutions and applying problem solving strategies
  • Critically evaluate and analyse evidence and information
  • Formulate judgements and decisions based on the evidence available and applied knowledge eg. on acceptable levels of pollution emissions, water data, acceptable levels of noise etc
  • Manage objective measurement and analysis of scientific information to determine the appropriate course of action eg. noise measurement, air emissions etc
  • Appraise, implement and communicate relevant interventions eg. enforcement actions
  • Produce accurate records and reports and where appropriate, recommend interventions, including the collection and handling of evidence with a view towards legal proceedings
  • Assess and deal effectively with difficult and confrontational situations
  • Participate in health promotional activities in high priority environmental health areas eg. shisha, smoking, obesity, food safety etc
  • Implement effective decision making, exercising discretion, initiative and independence within the scope of own role
  • Communicate and influence effectively with a diverse range of stakeholders including spoken and written communication skills, presentation skills, giving advice and guidance / mediating / negotiating and persuading, handling private and sensitive information (eg. data protection)
  • Use a range of standard IT packages to undertake for example, word processing activities, produce reports and input / analyse data
  • Work as part of a multi-disciplinary and/or multi-organisational team and collaborate to achieve successful outcomes
  • Lead activities relating to environmental health matters
  • Carry out sampling and collect evidence for monitoring, investigations and/or enforcement purposes in accordance with legislation and current guidance
  • Examine and assess compliance with conditions
  • Plan, organise and prioritise workload to meet deadlines
  • Provide specialist, professional and technical environmental health advice and guidance to a range of stakeholders such as residents, businesses, property owners, government agencies and partners
  • Plan, undertake and lead inspections, audits and other forms of investigations across the breadth of environmental health matters
  • Evaluate applications and grant relevant licences and permits eg. environmental permits, HMOs, caravan sites, skin piercing, tattooists etc
  • Negotiate with and influence a range of stakeholders in relation to a range of environmental health matters
  • Identify, evaluate and communicate environmental health risks and risk management solutions to a range of stakeholders
  • Ensure all activities are undertaken in accordance with relevant legislation, guidance and codes of practice
  • Infer and apply a range of legislation related to environmental health, eg. the Environment Act, Environmental Protection Act, the Health and Safety at Work Act, Food Safety Act, Housing Act, Public Health Act, Police and Criminal Evidence Act, data protection legislation, anti-social behaviour legislation etc
  • Employ a range of research, analytical and problem-solving techniques to resolve environmental health issues through creative and critical thinking, devising practical solutions and applying problem solving strategies
  • Critically evaluate and analyse evidence and information
  • Formulate judgements and decisions based on the evidence available and applied knowledge eg. on acceptable levels of pollution emissions, water data, acceptable levels of noise etc
  • Manage objective measurement and analysis of scientific information to determine the appropriate course of action eg. noise measurement, air emissions etc
  • Appraise, implement and communicate relevant interventions eg. enforcement actions
  • Produce accurate records and reports and where appropriate, recommend interventions, including the collection and handling of evidence with a view towards legal proceedings
  • Assess and deal effectively with difficult and confrontational situations
  • Participate in health promotional activities in high priority environmental health areas eg. shisha, smoking, obesity, food safety etc
  • Implement effective decision making, exercising discretion, initiative and independence within the scope of own role
  • Communicate and influence effectively with a diverse range of stakeholders including spoken and written communication skills, presentation skills, giving advice and guidance / mediating / negotiating and persuading, handling private and sensitive information (eg. data protection)
  • Use a range of standard IT packages to undertake for example, word processing activities, produce reports and input / analyse data
  • Work as part of a multi-disciplinary and/or multi-organisational team and collaborate to achieve successful outcomes
  • Lead activities relating to environmental health matters
  • Carry out sampling and collect evidence for monitoring, investigations and/or enforcement purposes in accordance with legislation and current guidance
  • Examine and assess compliance with conditions
  • Plan, organise and prioritise workload to meet deadlines

Training schedule

Environmental Health Practitioner (integrated degree) Level 6.

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
  • Organisation skills
  • Problem solving skills
  • Administrative skills
  • Logical
  • Team working

About this employer

Stoke-on-Trent City Council values the diversity of its community and aims to have a workforce that reflects this – we therefore encourage applications from all sections of our community. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees – a place where we can all be ourselves and succeed together.

After this apprenticeship

Environmental Health Practitioner.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

UNIVERSITY OF WOLVERHAMPTON

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000035597.

Apply now

Closes in 13 days (Monday 22 June 2026)

After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.