Are you interested in a career in local government? Would you like to acquire business skills and earn a salary while studying for a recognised qualification?
What is an apprenticeship?
Apprenticeships are a fantastic way to start your career. They give you the opportunity to learn and train while working alongside experienced staff to give you job-specific skills.
Further information about apprenticeships can be found on the GOV.UK website
Who can apply?
Anyone living in England, 16 or over, and not in full time education can apply to be an apprentice.
You must meet the essential criteria as set out in the Job Description and Person Specification.
Current Apprenticeships
The Council don’t currently have any apprenticeship vacancies available. We usually recruit for apprentices in the summer so please keep an eye on our vacancies page (see link below)
How long is an apprenticeship at Wealden District Council?
Most apprenticeships take 18 months to complete at Level 3, therefore you will be employed on a 19-month fixed term contract.
Will there be support to progress into employment after the apprenticeship?
An apprenticeship will give you the knowledge, skills and experience you need to apply for a job in the area in which you are training. We will give you support to progress into employment, education or further training towards the end of your apprenticeship. At the end of your contract, if you have performed well on your apprenticeship, you should be in an advantageous position to apply for any related positions that are being advertised at the time at Wealden District Council. We have had a remarkable success rate in securing permanent positions for our Apprentices over the past few years.
You will also be supported by the training provider who will guide you through your qualification from start to finish, keeping you on track and supporting your learning alongside Wealden District Council.
How do I apply for an apprenticeship at Wealden District Council?
If you are interested in applying to become an apprentice at Wealden District Council, please visit our jobs page and look out for apprenticeship vacancies
What happens next?
If you are short-listed, you will be contacted and invited to attend an interview where you will be asked a number of questions relating to the Job Description and Person Specification and will be scored on how you respond.
Terms & conditions
A brief summary of some of the terms and conditions that are specific to this apprenticeship post is provided below.
Salary
Apprentices will be paid the appropriate minimum wage for their age.
| Age | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| First year or under 19 | £12,346.80 |
| 18-20 (NLW3) | £16, 590.96 |
| 21 and over (NLW1) | £ 22,069.80 |
Contract
This post is fixed term for 19 months. The probation period for all new Wealden District Council employees is 26 weeks.
Performance Management
All employees within WDC benefit from an annual appraisal process which involves the achievement of operational targets agreed between you and your manager at the beginning of the performance year. Initial/Probationary Appraisal reports are carried out to report on your work and conduct, and will generally be prepared after 4, 12 and 20 weeks by your immediate superior, and seen by the Corporate Director and Human Resources.
Annual Leave Entitlement
Your annual leave entitlement for this post is 20 days. In addition to this, you will be entitled to statutory leave in respect of eight bank and public holidays in proportion to service in the leave year.
The annual leave year runs from 1 April to 31 March.
Working Hours
This post is full time (37 hours per week) to be worked over 5 days, Monday to Friday, 7.4 hours per day. Normal office hours are 8.30am to 5.00pm from Monday to Friday. The Flexitime Scheme allows for hours to be worked flexibly where agreed with your manager. Working hours must be contained within the hours of 0700 and 1900.
The Working Time Regulations came into force on 1 October 1998. Whilst the normal working week will be variable and will comprise the necessary hours required to fulfil the obligations of the post, they should not exceed 48 hours per week averaged over a 17-week period or 40 hours per week if you are under 18 years old.
We operate a hybrid working model, which allows you the flexibility to spend some of the working week in the office and some time working from home, subject to ensuring that you have a suitable workspace at home and appropriate supervision and support can be provided.