3 x Apprentice Highways Operatives for Stoke-on-Trent City Council's Highways team.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council
Staffordshire (ST4 1HH)
Closes in 18 days (Wednesday 7 May 2025)
Posted on 17 April 2025
Contents
Summary
Practically-minded? Like being 'hands-on'? We are on the look-out for 3 motivated apprentice highways operatives for our Highways team. You will be out and about, learning how to repair potholes, fix road defects and keep Stoke-on-Trent's streets safe for everyone.
- Wage
-
£14,526.20 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Highways maintenance skilled operative (level 2)
- Hours
-
Apprentices will be working and training for 37 hours per week and will need to be flexible in terms of work days and also start and finish times. Apprentices will be working all over the city.
37 hours a week
- Start date
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Monday 1 September 2025
- Duration
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2 years
- Positions available
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3
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 regular inspections and assessments of highways assets, including roads, footpaths, and street furniture
- Supporting the maintenance team in carrying out repairs on the carriageway and footway network, including pothole filling and surface repairs, and emergency work
- Learning to operate and handle various tools and machinery used in reactive repairs
- Assisting in inspecting damaged areas and reporting findings to senior staff
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.
College or training organisation
TELFORD COLLEGE
Your training course
Highways maintenance skilled operative (level 2)
Equal to GCSE
Course contents
- Apply appropriate health, safety and environment procedures when working on the road
- Plan and undertake work practice productively when carrying out repairs to potholes, pavements and kerbs, and laying new surfaces on rural and urban roads
- Read, interpret and work to drawings, specifications and highways information Highways information will include details on the use of safety barriers, cones, traffic flow and safety zones to work within, whilst employed on the highway
- Use underground cable locators to identify buried water, gas, sewer lines or other utility services, and once identified excavate by hand around the line to stop any damage and disruption to services
- Apply safe working practise for moving, storing, lifting and handling of resources
- Excavation and reinstatement of the highway by carrying out maintenance and repairs, including removal of material within the road or road side using hand or power tools and reinstatement of the area using concrete, screeds, sub-base, aggregates or bituminous materials
- Install Street Ironworks (drain access covers and frames and gully gates situated on the road) to given work instructions
- Prepare and operate powered tools or pedestrian plant, machinery or equipment for use on roads. This will include machinery for generator™s, pumps, pedestrian operated plant (e.g. pushed roller), mixers, compressors and self“powered tools (pneumatic drill)
- Prepare, set up and work within temporary traffic management (using cones and barriers to section off elements of the road from vehicles and pedestrians) on urban and rural roads, whilst excavating and re-instating the highway
- Work with other sub-contractors on larger schemes (e.g. traffic management)
Your training plan
The bulk of the training will be on-the-job in the Highways team. You will work alongside experienced operatives, gaining practical skills while working towards the Highways Maintenance Skilled Operative Level 2 apprenticeship standard.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade Grades 2/E or equivalent)
- Maths (grade Grade 2/E or equivalent)
Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- IT skills
- Team working
- Physical fitness
- Motivated
- Practically-minded
- Time-keeping
- Willingness to work outdoors
Other requirements
Apprentices will need to be willing to work outdoors in all weathers and temperatures as part of team all over the city and not be afraid to get 'stuck in'.
About this company
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.
https://www.stoke.gov.uk/jobs (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
Real-world training with experienced operatives. A recognised qualification in highways maintenance. A friendly, supportive team and a foot in the door for a long-term career. The chance to work outdoors and stay active.
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
Although there is no guarantee of a job after the apprenticeship, this is a 'foot in the door' for a long-term career and many of our apprentices do go on to secure temporary or permanent positions with the Council.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
Stoke-on-Trent City Council
Steve Lovatt
steve.lovatt@stoke.gov.uk
01782 232127
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000316116.
Apply now
Closes in 18 days (Wednesday 7 May 2025)
When you apply, you’ll be asked to sign in with a GOV.UK One Login. You can create one at the same time as applying for this apprenticeship.
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.
Company’s application instructions
Search for 'highways maintenance apprentice' and then tap the apply tab (you will be asked to register if you do not already have an account); complete the application. If you have any queries about the application process or want an application form in another format, please email recruitment@stoke.gov.uk or call us on 01782 238189.