Business Support Apprentice Review

Item: Business Support Apprentice at Sandwell Council
Rating: 5
Author: Anonymous

at Sandwell Council

Level 2 Apprenticeship

Customer Service

Tipton

Review Submitted: April 2025

Overall Rating

5 /5

The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!

5/5 - Overview of Role

5/5 - Skills Development

5/5 - Structure and Support

Overview of Role

Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:

5/5

In my role, I contact learners and staff via email, as well as by phone and in-person. Additionally, I am responsible for the management of these courses, including the making up and closing down of them, ensuring paperwork is correct. I also record deliveries in our post log and audit certificates that learners have earned, ensuring that they have been contacted regarding collection.

To what extent do you enjoy your programme?

5/5

I very much enjoy the programme I am on currently as I receive support from my manager, colleagues, and my apprenticeship coach (who completes my monthly reviews), who offer me advice on a multitude of things regarding the world of work and how to navigate that as I progress in my career.

Skills Development

Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?

5/5

I have developed my communication skills as, during the enrolment process for skills courses (e.g. Maths and English), I have to complete interviews with learners to gauge their level of spoken English. Having done this regularly for learners in our main centres and outreach centres, I feel this skill has developed since the start of my apprenticeship.

Structure and Support

How well organised/structured is your programme?

5/5

The programme is very well structured. I like how we have 12 months of actual work experience, followed by a further three for the end point assessment. Additionally, the work set each month is always enough to last the entire month, making off the job hours easy enough to achieve.

How much support do you receive from your employer?

5/5

I receive a lot of support from my manager. This includes general life advice as I am just starting out my career and this is my first experience of work (my Year 10 work experience was cancelled due to Covid). Additionally, our one-to-ones have been very helpful in terms of career progression and what I can do moving on.

How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?

5/5

I receive a lot of support from my training provider, including the provision of Dig Deeper activities as I am achieving quite highly on my knowledge checks. Additionally, our one-to-ones have been very helpful in terms of consolidating the skills I have developed and noted in my personal development plan.

How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?

5/5

I feel that my the qualification I am working towards during my apprenticeship is helping me to perform better at my role as it has provided me with activities regarding life skills and resources regarding job interviews, careers, etc. It also allows me to think about the important parts of my job, such as internal policies, legislation that has to be considered, etc.

Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)

5/5

Staff have access to staff sporting sessions such as badminton, football, table tennis, Pilates and book club. There is an intranet page which details these activities. Staff also have access to the Hobby Health app which aims to provide information on hobby groups available within the council and link up staff with similar interests. There is a physical Wellbeing Hub in the council house, plus a My Wellbeing intranet page with details of support available.

Recommendations & Advice

Would you recommend Sandwell Council to a friend?

Yes

Why?

The hiring process was quite efficient. My interview, which ended at 1pm, was on April 25th, and I received a call back at 4pm the same day. They were ready to take me on over a month before (June 4th) I ended up starting (July 8th). The reason I did not start so early was due to A Level exams taking place at the time and having a break between those exams and starting.

What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Sandwell Council?

Once you have been shortlisted for your interview, refer back to your job description and personnel specification, ensuring that you have had experience with most of the tasks mentioned (this experience can be from anywhere and any time not too far back). Ensure that you are able to answer common interview questions relating to the job specification using the STAR method as this is what they mark your interview on.

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