The Opportunity
Salary: NJC Grade 4 £24,790 to £25,183 per annum
Contract Type: Apprenticeship until February 2027
Working Pattern: 37 hours per week, full-time
Location: County Hall, Chichester (including hybrid working)
Closing date: 07 July 2025
Interview date: 18 July 2025
Are you interested in earning whilst you learn?
Are you looking for a change in career, or to start your career journey?
Do you enjoy learning from others with hands on experience?
Take the first step in your career by starting your apprenticeship journey with West Sussex County Council. You will be part of our Education, Business and Communications Team, within our Education and Skills Service, providing essential support in the planning and delivery of our funded and traded programmes.
As a Training and Events Apprentice, you will have the opportunity to gain great insight into the range of services we provide as a council; our teams care passionately about positive outcomes for children and their families and finding solutions to challenging issues.
You will liaise and work collaboratively with colleagues, providers, partners, and stakeholders to create and share information on our training programmes and maintain effective professional relationships.
You will learn by doing, using your theoretical knowledge from your apprenticeship in real life situations, adding value in applying and sharing the knowledge you gain throughout your apprenticeship.
Some of your day-to-day responsibilities will include:
- Booking of venues and refreshments for training courses and conferences
- Loading training and event information to our online platform to enable delegates to book places and view course information.
- Responding to customer and supplier enquiries received in our shared email inbox.
- Contacting customers by telephone to support with training related issues, when needed.
- Note taking at meetings.
- Attending quarterly supplier meetings held to ensure the quality of service provided remains high.
- Support with content creation for newsletters and Facebook posts.
- Data entry including financial information associated with training and events.
- Liaising and collaborating with internal and external service providers.
- Working independently and as a team to deal with unexpected problems and situations.
- Working with a range of teams and colleagues to widen your experience.
- Participating in meetings and briefings.
- Meeting deadlines and using your initiative to complete varied tasks, at work and in your apprenticeship.
There is also the opportunity to get involved with wider initiatives such as project work or learning new skills through work with other teams.
The role reports into the Training and Events Manager within the Education Business and Communications team.
The Apprenticeship
As a Training and Events Apprentice, you will join our Education, Business and Communications Team within Education and Skills, providing a customer focused service to others.
You will work towards the Level 4 Practice Improvement Apprenticeship provided by Capella, part of the PMI group.
For more information on the apprenticeship, please view our training provider website: Level 4 Improvement Practitioner Apprenticeship - PMI
You will have the chance to learn and grow in a dynamic and supportive environment.
You will receive hands-on experience in various areas of training and events to widen your experience, working alongside experienced professionals who are eager to mentor and guide you every step of the way.
About You
We are looking for someone who:
- Has a good standard of literacy, numeracy, and ability to use Microsoft packages such as Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, to aid you in your admin tasks.
- Has five GCSE passes at Grade C / Grades 4-9 or above, ideally including English and Maths. However, you can undertake functional key skills English and Maths if you do not have these.
- Or has an equivalent vocational qualification, for example, Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship (you will need to provide evidence of your GCSE grades including English and Maths).
This role would suit people who have:
- The ability to meet deadlines and prioritise.
- The ability to work as part of a team.
- Good communication and interpersonal skills.
- Organisation skills and focus.
- An interest in problem solving and process improvement
This role is predominantly computer based and will require prolonged periods of concentration.
If you have a flexible approach to tasks and a willingness to learn new skills, you could make a real difference. We are always keen to hear new ideas and solutions to improve the service we provide.
For more information on the Key Skills, Responsibilities, Qualifications and/or Experience required, please refer to the Job Description attached.
Please refer to the key skills in your application as these will be used for shortlisting criteria.
Benefits
As an employer we recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive and dynamic working environment where employees can achieve their full potential, achieve a healthy work-life balance, and are rewarded for the work they do.
For a full list this can be found at our Rewards and Benefits page.
Upon joining us you will have access to a range of benefits including the following:
Employer Pension Contribution: 18.70% (this alters per annum on the 1 April each year).
Annual leave: 25 days holiday + Bank Holidays = 33 days total
How to Apply
The reference number for this role is CAFHE05783.
For an informal conversation or for further information regarding the role, please contact Jackie Harrison, Training and Events Manager, at jacqueline.harrison@westsussex.gov.uk
To apply, please follow the links below to upload your CV and complete the Apprentice Application Form.
In your application form, please outline your motivations for applying and explaining the skills and experience you can bring to the role (please refer to the key skills) ensuring that any gaps in employment are covered in your CV.
Please ensure you have saved the job description attached to the main advert on our website as, once the job has closed, you may not have the opportunity to download again.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.
This post is subject to three years referencing, and an occupational health check.
Equity, inclusion, and accessibility is very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, as this helps us build a diverse and talented workforce, that reflects the communities we serve. We ensure our approach to recruitment is flexible and supportive to enable all applicants to be at their best and to ensure they have the best possible chance of success.
We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that have a disability, are a veteran or are a care leaver. More information can be found on our application helppage.
Job Reference: CAFHE05783
