Trading Standards Apprentice

Summary

The occupation ensures safe, fair, and legal marketplaces, helping businesses and protecting communities. Employees manage staff, legal and safety compliance, quality, and risk systems. They make decisions, plan, and lead substantial changes. They provide technical advice, ensure regulatory compliance, and oversee resources, guiding best practices.

Wage

£26,213 a year

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

£26,213 to £30,889 per annum

Training course

Trading standards professional (level 6)

Hours

Monday to Friday. Flexi-time working between 8.00am - 5:30pm, totaling 35 hours per week. Evening and weekend work is expected.

35 hours a week

Possible start date

Saturday 17 May

Duration

3 years

Positions available

1

Work

As an apprentice, you’ll work at a company and get hands-on experience. You’ll gain new skills and work alongside experienced staff.

What you’ll do at work

We’re looking to recruit the next generation of Trading Standards Officers to join our team.

Have you ever wondered what a Trading Standards Officer does? If yes - then read on!

As a Trading Standards Officer you would be involved in a wide range of activities and projects, all aimed at ensuring a fair, safe, and legal trading environment across Worcestershire. This might mean:

Taking samples/test purchases of foods, consumer goods such as toys, cosmetics and electrical items, or animal feed and pet food, to have them checked against legal standards
Interrupting doorstep rogue traders
Visiting farms or markets to inspect animal welfare conditions
On site and on-line inspections of manufacturers and suppliers of goods
Advising businesses to help them trade fairly
Working with partners to protect consumers and businesses from frauds and scams
Investigating rogue traders, preparing criminal cases, and giving evidence in court.

Your role will be varied and fulfilling. As a trainee Trading Standards Officer, you’ll be working towards recognised professional qualifications. You will be supported through a structured training programme with a talented and experienced team around you. With a defined career path, you will qualify as a Trading Standards Officer capable of working across the full spectrum of disciplines, covering animal health and welfare, environmental protection, fair trading, feed, food, product safety, safety of sports grounds, and weights and measures. It’s a highly rewarding job in public service, where you can make a real difference.

With the hybrid and flexible working model offered here at Worcestershire County Council you will benefit from the best of both worlds:

Access to modern and well-resourced office and collaborative spaces, and
First class provision of IT, software, and other equipment to enable effective homeworking, along with our commitment to provide structured, face to face mentoring, shadowing, and learning opportunities.

To be considered, you’ll need a good standard of general education, and the aptitude and commitment to study towards a professional qualification (we think having a degree will stand you in good stead here, but it’s not essential and we’re open in terms of where you may have gained your experience).

You’ll need the ability and desire to learn, and the capacity to understand and interpret complex legislation. You’ll also need first class communication and customer service skills, high attention to detail, and great organisational skills. We also think you’ll have perseverance, patience, the awareness to quickly read situations, and the ability to remain calm in sometimes difficult circumstances.

Where you’ll work

Wyre Forest House

Finepoint Way

Kidderminster

DY11 7WF

Training

An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.

College or training organisation

WORCESTERSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Your training course

Trading standards professional (level 6)

Equal to degree

Course contents

Lead and manage investigations and interventions.
Apply investigative techniques and evidence gathering to produce reports with recommendations.
Analyse, interpret, challenge, and evaluate data and intelligence.
Interpret and apply relevant Acts, Regulations, Codes of Practice and Guidance in the consumer protection environment.
Influence, negotiate and challenge stakeholders in the delivery and decision-making process.
Use research, analytical and problem-solving techniques to resolve and prevent consumer protection issues.
Conduct and/or respond to formal interviews in line with legal controls and best practice collaborating with legal representatives.
Gather evidence for use for potential legal proceedings and acting as a witness when required.
Make legal and tactical decisions to improve the outcomes in consumer protection investigations.
Promote the improvement of compliance standards in consumer protection.
Promote social inclusion in the workplace with businesses, stakeholders, and consumers.
Promote environmental sustainability and support change to improve the environment.
Lead and manage operational projects to achieve time dependent outcomes.
Communicate complex information, best practice, and guidance in consumer protection, adapting delivery for different audiences.
Collaborate with stakeholders to achieve agreed collective outcomes.
Identify and apply industry developments to achieve continual service improvement.
Lead the development and monitoring of financial strategies and setting of organisational budgets based on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) or similar, and challenge financial assumptions underpinning strategies.
Build constructive working relationships across teams.
Identify the training and development requirements of the team and stakeholders.
Set strategic direction through the implementation of plans.
Lead and respond to risks using risk management techniques.
Provide support, specialist advice, and guidance for businesses, consumers, and stakeholders.
Act as an advocate for projects and transformation of services across organisational boundaries such as those impacted by sustainability and the UK Net Carbon Zero.
Lead and manage investigations and interventions.
Apply investigative techniques and evidence gathering to produce reports with recommendations.
Analyse, interpret, challenge, and evaluate data and intelligence.
Interpret and apply relevant Acts, Regulations, Codes of Practice and Guidance in the consumer protection environment.
Influence, negotiate and challenge stakeholders in the delivery and decision-making process.
Use research, analytical and problem-solving techniques to resolve and prevent consumer protection issues.
Conduct and/or respond to formal interviews in line with legal controls and best practice collaborating with legal representatives.
Gather evidence for use for potential legal proceedings and acting as a witness when required.
Make legal and tactical decisions to improve the outcomes in consumer protection investigations.
Promote the improvement of compliance standards in consumer protection.
Promote social inclusion in the workplace with businesses, stakeholders, and consumers.
Promote environmental sustainability and support change to improve the environment.
Lead and manage operational projects to achieve time dependent outcomes.
Communicate complex information, best practice, and guidance in consumer protection, adapting delivery for different audiences.
Collaborate with stakeholders to achieve agreed collective outcomes.
Identify and apply industry developments to achieve continual service improvement.
Lead the development and monitoring of financial strategies and setting of organisational budgets based on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) or similar, and challenge financial assumptions underpinning strategies.
Build constructive working relationships across teams.
Identify the training and development requirements of the team and stakeholders.
Set strategic direction through the implementation of plans.
Lead and respond to risks using risk management techniques.
Provide support, specialist advice, and guidance for businesses, consumers, and stakeholders.
Act as an advocate for projects and transformation of services across organisational boundaries such as those impacted by sustainability and the UK Net Carbon Zero.

Your training plan

This training plan has not been finalised. Check with this employer if you’ll need to travel to a college or training location for this apprenticeship.

More training information

Flexible combination of group workshops, e-learning, structured workplace learning, tutorials, and mini projects – can be fully integrated with wider internal training and organisational needs.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

English Language (grade 4 - 9 (C - A*))
Mathematics (grade 4 - 9 (C - A*))

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
Attention to detail
Organisation skills
Customer care skills
Problem solving skills
Administrative skills

Other requirements

If you are a care leaver and you meet the minimum essential qualification criteria, you will be guaranteed an interview. Please indicate that you are a care leaver on your application. Applications that fail to mention their English & Maths GCSEs/Level 2 Equivalent/Statement of Comparability etc. will be automatically declined.

About this company

Worcestershire County Council delivers an array of services which support our residents and businesses. These include providing social care of some of the most vulnerable in society, helping the next generation get the best start in life through education, investing in our transport network, disposing of household waste sustainably, provision of Library service + country parks and supporting health + wellbeing within our communities.

https://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/ (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

Such benefits of working with WCC include 26 days holiday, plus bank holidays (going up to 31 after 5 years service), flexible & hybrid working, learning & development opportunities, and 24/7 employee support.

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

Upon completion of their apprenticeship, the candidate may have the opportunity to progress onto a permanent position with the organisation.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

Worcestershire County Council

Bob Charnley

Bob.Charnley@WorcestershireTS.gov.uk

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000302058.

Apply now

Closes in 23 days (Monday 17 March at 11:59pm)

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