Environmental Health Apprentice
The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
Barking (IG11 7LU)
Closes in 11 days (Wednesday 2 September 2026)
Posted on 20 August 2026
Contents
Summary
Study for a BSc (Hons) Environmental Health degree with Middlesex University while earning a salary and gaining hands-on experience in food safety, housing, environmental protection and public health. Open to Barking and Dagenham residents only.
- Wage
-
£27,008 a year
Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Apprentices at the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham are paid the London Living Wage - currently £27,008 per annum.
- Training course
- Environmental health practitioner (integrated degree) (level 6)
- Hours
-
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Some evening and weekend work may be required.
35 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 21 September 2026
- Duration
-
4 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
You will work within the regulatory service whilst studying towards a degree in environmental health on an apprenticeship programme. The course is delivered in collaboration with Middlesex University London, and at the end of the training you will gain a BSc Honours degree in Environmental Health by completing a 4-year programme.
You will be supporting the functions within the food safety, health & safety, environmental protection and private sector housing as directed by the Service Manager and team leader for the relevant area. You will transfer between the various areas during the four years to allow you to obtain relevant experience for the qualification work-based learning.
You will be required to maintain an effective balance between your study and work time ensuring that all coursework is completed on time, and in accordance with the study programme as directed by the University.
- To work within the regulatory service to protect and improve the health, quality, and safety through the application of skills learned at a vocational level and local level within the service ensuring excellent customer service is provided meeting customer expectations and achieving service standards
- To monitor case workload and liaise with officers on case investigations ensuring high standards of record management and case progression is adhered to in accordance with legislation
- To support with site visits and inspections, ensuring you record and participate in recording findings, resolutions, and case outcomes with officers from within the service
- As knowledge and competency develops, to carry out sampling, monitoring and survey work as necessary across the range of environmental health functions
- To maintain case files electronically on the council database and support with general administration, preparing case files, statements, inspection notes, reports and letters as an example
- Manage your time, effort and resources effectively so that you develop good working practices to enable you to plan and organise your work to achieve learning required, personal and team objectives
- As an apprentice it is an essential requirement for your continued employment under the scheme to attend and engage with learning at college and/or obtain relevant qualifications
Where you'll work
Town Hall
1 Town Square
Barking
IG11 7LU
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
MIDDLESEX UNIVERSITY
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.
Training will take place both in the workplace and at Middlesex University, Hendon Campus, The Burroughs, London NW4 4BT. The apprentice will attend university in line with the degree timetable and spend the remainder of their working week gaining practical experience across Environmental Health functions within the Council.
More training information
The apprentice will complete the Environmental Health degree apprenticeship with Middlesex University. The programme is structured over four years, combining on-campus study with practical workplace learning in the Council's Environmental Health service. The apprentice will rotate across different service areas to gain experience and will receive ongoing support, supervision and progress reviews throughout the programme.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade A - C / 4 - 9)
- Maths (grade A - C / 4 - 9)
96 UCAS points in:
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
- Number skills
- Analytical skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Patience
Other requirements
- This post requires an enhanced DBS check
- Ability to travel throughout the borough for training and work purposes, and to university and farther afield on required training
About this employer
Barking and Dagenham is a borough that’s changing for the better. Over the past few years, we’ve been working hard to transform how we deliver services and support our community. We’re proud of our diverse and vibrant population, and we’re committed to building a borough where everyone feels respected, included, and empowered.
We have a laser focus on delivering for our residents – whether it’s tackling the inequalities people face or, quite simply, delivering the best services every day.
We’re creating the conditions and opportunities for people to thrive here –to make Barking and Dagenham a place people are proud of and where they want to live, work, study and stay. Ultimately, we want everyone in Barking and Dagenham to have a good quality of life and to feel like they want to put down roots, raise their family, be part of the community and get involved.
As an Investors in People Gold Award employer, we’re serious about supporting our staff. From flexible working, professional training and career development to wellbeing initiatives, we want our people to feel valued and supported in everything they do.
Our values, known as DRIVE, shape how we work:
- Deliver our best every day – and do what we promise
- Respond in a prompt, positive way to our community’s needs
- Inspire others with our attitudes and actions
- Value people for who they are and what they can do
- Engage with others to improve our resilience and flexibility
We’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences.
https://www.lbbd.gov.uk/ (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
- Access to wellbeing and staff discount packages
- Enrolment in the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
- Access to continuing professional development opportunities
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).
This apprenticeship provides a pathway into a professional career in Environmental Health. Successful completion will lead to a BSc (Hons) in Environmental Health and the opportunity to pursue professional status as an Environmental Health Practitioner. Graduates may progress into Environmental Health Officer roles in local government, regulatory services or related public health fields.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
Nick Howard
Nick.Howard@lbbd.gov.uk
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000049178.
Apply now
Closes in 11 days (Wednesday 2 September 2026)
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.