Commercial Apprentice

Summary

We’re on the lookout for a Commercial Apprentice to join our award-winning Talent Programme. This apprenticeship is a unique opportunity, giving you hands-on experience across a variety of areas, such as: customer services, finance, marketing, and sales & admin—learning the Thatchers way, partnering with Weston College.

Wage: £20,800 a year
Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Training course: Business administrator (level 3)
Hours: Typical hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30am-5pm. This will include some rotational weekend working. Lunchtime - 30 mins.
40 hours a week
Possible start date: Monday 1 September
Duration: 1 year 6 months
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

Manage incoming and outgoing customer calls
Master our bespoke IT software
Place customer orders and handle promotional items/POS
Grasp Sales and Purchase Ledger roles in Finance
Process installation requests and repairs for customers
Support our Marketing team during event season
Run media platforms for commercial use
Work in our Thatchers Cider Shop—both customer-facing and admin tasks
Join our Sales team in the field to understand the broader business
Collaborate with our category insight managers on data use and product performance
Complete project work with our Talent team

Where you’ll work

Myrtle Farm

Station Road

Sandford

North Somerset

BS25 5RA

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

WESTON COLLEGE OF FURTHER AND HIGHER EDUCATION

Your training course

Business administrator (level 3)

Equal to A level

Course contents

Skilled in the use of multiple IT packages and systems relevant to the organisation in order to: write letters or emails, create proposals, perform financial processes, record and analyse data. Examples include MS Office or equivalent packages. Able to choose the most appropriate IT solution to suit the business problem. Able to update and review databases, record information and produce data analysis where required.
Produces accurate records and documents including: emails, letters, files, payments, reports and proposals. Makes recommendations for improvements and present solutions to management. Drafts correspondence, writes reports and able to review others' work. Maintains records and files, handles confidential information in compliance with the organisation's procedures. Coaches others in the processes required to complete these tasks.
Exercises proactivity and good judgement. Makes effective decisions based on sound reasoning and is able to deal with challenges in a mature way. Seeks advice of more experienced team members when appropriate.
Builds and maintains positive relationships within their own team and across the organisation. Demonstrates ability to influence and challenge appropriately. Becomes a role model to peers and team members, developing coaching skills as they gain area knowledge.
Demonstrates good communication skills, whether face-to-face, on the telephone, in writing or on digital platforms. Uses the most appropriate channels to communicate effectively. Demonstrates agility and confidence in communications, carrying authority appropriately. Understands and applies social media solutions appropriately. Answers questions from inside and outside of the organisation, representing the organisation or department.
Completes tasks to a high standard. Demonstrates the necessary level of expertise required to complete tasks and applies themself to continuously improve their work. Is able to review processes autonomously and make suggestions for improvements. Shares administrative best-practice across the organisation e.g. coaches others to perform tasks correctly. Applies problem-solving skills to resolve challenging or complex complaints and is a key point of contact for addressing issues.
Takes responsibility for initiating and completing tasks, manages priorities and time in order to successfully meet deadlines. Positively manages the expectations of colleagues at all levels and sets a positive example for others in the workplace. Makes suggestions for improvements to working practice, showing understanding of implications beyond the immediate environment (e.g. impact on clients, suppliers, other parts of the organisation). Manages resources e.g. equipment or facilities. Organises meetings and events, takes minutes during meetings and creates action logs as appropriate. Takes responsibility for logistics e.g. travel and accommodation.
Uses relevant project management principles and tools to scope, plan, monitor and report. Plans required resources to successfully deliver projects. Undertakes and leads projects as and when required.

Your training plan

You will be pursuing a Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard in Business Administration, through Weston College
As part of this program, you will attend Weston College once a month for workshops
An assessor will conduct on-site observation to evaluate your progress, as well as supporting you in college throughout your apprenticeship
At the conclusion of your program, your qualification will be assessed through an End Point Assessment

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

English (grade 4/C)
Maths (grade 4/C)

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
Initiative
Resilient

Other requirements

Assessment Day & Interviews: Tuesday 8th April 2025. Must live in a reasonable commutable distance to our main site, as this role is based full-time on site.

About this company

Since 1904, Thatchers has been crafting some of the world’s best cider. Now in our fifth generation of family cider makers, we take pride in our Somerset roots. We’ve grown a lot, thanks to big investments in marketing, people development, innovative tech, and our world-class cider mill. But guess what? We’re just getting started.

https://careers.thatcherscider.co.uk/ (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

Tasty discounts at our cider shop (for those over 18!) and pub, The Railway Inn, career opportunity in a stable, expanding company, student discount card

After this apprenticeship

Previously, our Commercial Apprentices have gone on to progress into other roles in the business, including:

Field Sales Executive
Field Sales Manager
Warehouse Supervisor
Customer Services Team Leader
Marketing Assistant
Quality Assistant
Ledger Assistant

.... plus many other possibilities!

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

WESTON COLLEGE OF FURTHER AND HIGHER EDUCATION

Sharna Thomson

sharna.thomson@weston.ac.uk

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000305145.

Apply now

Closes on Sunday 30 March 2025

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

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