Trading Standards Professional Apprentice

Trading Standards Professional Apprentice

Fixed Term, Full Time

£31,678 per annum

Location: Chelmsford

Working Style: Community-based worker

Closing Date: 18th May 2025

Essex Trading Standards is looking for a highly motivated person to take on a vital role in enforcing vape and tobacco regulations. This is more than just a job-it's your chance to make a lasting impact on the Essex community, ensuring fairness, compliance, and public safety. If you're ready to take on a rewarding challenge with clear career progression and want to be proud of the difference you make, this is the opportunity you've been waiting for. Join us and be part of something meaningful!

Benefits:

• Healthy work life balance.
• Wide range of learning and development opportunities.
• IT equipment and home-working equipment supplied.
• 26 days annual leave + bank holidays + choice to buy extra.
• Generous Local Government Salary related pension scheme.
• Access to hundreds of discounts and benefits through Essex Rewards.
• Access to our health and wellbeing support platform with LifeWorks.
• Up to 4 days per year Volunteering leave.
• A fully funded Level 6 Trading Standards Professional qualification delivered online over 40 months.

Essex County Council is proud to offer an excellent benefits package to all its employees. More information can be found here pay and reward .

The Role:

Trading Standards is responsible for supporting legitimate business activity by providing advice and support, encouraging economic development and prosperity, and helping to create a level playing field. We protect the economic interests of Essex residents (particularly the more vulnerable members of the community) by using all the tools available to swiftly and effectively tackle rogue traders and businesses that cause the most consumer detriment. We adopt an intelligence led approach to enforcing a broad range of Trading Standards legislation including fair trading, underage sales, food and product safety, animal health and welfare to name just a few.

This exciting opportunity will see you developing the knowledge, skills and competencies to become a Trading Standards Officer. You will undertake the training and learning requirements of the level 6 Trading Standards Professional apprenticeship. The role will focus on the enforcement of rules regulating vapes and tobacco, including the supply of illegal/illicit products and tackling age restricted sales to children. You will study Trading Standards modules to complete your training including a Tobacco and Vapes module and will work closely with, and be supported by, members of the Trading Standards team throughout your training. When qualified you will be considered for a Trading Standards officer post.

The role will require successful study of Level 6 Trading Standards Professional Apprenticeship and end of study assessment with CSA Learning . You will be responsible for managing your own training and development to gain and apply a working knowledge of Trading Standards legislation, developing skills and competencies to enable effective enforcement and investigation.

You will have excellent communication skills (and the ability to deal confidently with a range of stakeholders) and be equally comfortable working both alone with minimal supervision and as part of a team of Trading Standards professionals. You will hold a minimum of GCSE English and Maths at grade 4 (C) or above and while not essential, successful completion of the Regulatory Compliance Officer Apprenticeship, qualification in law or experience of working in a regulatory role is desirable. Excellent organisational skills are a must together with the ability to assess, prioritise workload and hit agreed deadlines. You will hold a full UK driving licence and have access to a car that can be used for work.

Click here to read what our Apprentices say about working in Trading Standards:

Harriet's Blog

Rachael's Blog

About You:

You will have:

• Evidence of continuing professional development and expert knowledge in relevant professional area.
• Evidence of the ability to develop skills and knowledge relevant to the role.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to deal confidently with a range of stakeholders.
• Be comfortable working both alone with minimal supervision and as part of a team of Trading Standards professionals.
• A proven ability and willingness to study and develop the skills and knowledge to successfully complete the Level 6 Trading Standards Professional Apprenticeship.
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications.
• Evidence of the ability to use bespoke databases or other IT applications.
• Excellent organisational skills are a must, together with the ability to assess, prioritise workload and hit agreed deadlines.

Essential Requirements for the role:

• This role requires the postholder to be mobile throughout a wide operational area including travelling around the county of Essex and beyond. Driving licence and a vehicle, or ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means, is essential.
• You will need to have the right to work and study in England.
• You will have been ordinarily resident in the UK or EEA for three years before the apprenticeship start date.
• As apprentices have employed status you must have the right to permanently live, work and study in the UK. Apprenticeships are not covered by student visas.

Please note that we must be provided with your education certificates at the final stage of the recruitment process. If you have international equivalent qualifications a NARIC Statement of Comparability must be provided. If you do not already hold one you can purchase online - you can find more information here Statement of Comparability (enic.org.uk).

What will you be doing?

• Development, planning, delivery and management of enforcement projects, to ensure Trading Standards enforcement priorities are met.
• Lead on investigations and all enforcement activities, including carrying out PACE interviews, preparing notes, statements and prosecution reports and giving evidence in court to comply with the Trading Standards Investigation Protocol.
• Working collaboratively with other enforcement agencies (such as the Police, VOSA, DEFRA) District Councils, Parish Councils and politicians; attending external meetings such as Alcohol Licensing Reviews and Parish Council meetings to represent the council.
• Carry out visits to businesses to ensure compliance with legislation, provide advice and decide on the most appropriate remedy for non-compliances at the time of visit.
• Responsible for liaising with members of the public and complainants to gather intelligence and provide updates on progress made with enquiries and complaints.
• Review and grade intelligence using a threat matrix approach, to ensure best use of resources.
• Responsible for consultancy services quotations, customer relationships management and agreed sums of petty cash, to ensure Council financial policies are complied with, all spend is auditable and income opportunities are maximised.
• Responsible for undertaking a range of enforcement activities alone and as part of a team (e.g. 'test purchasing' operations of age restricted products, licensing inspections) to deliver Trading Standards enforcement priorities.
• Responsible for accurately recording work undertaken and prepare accurate and concise guidance letters to business and consumers to ensure the delivery of Trading Standards priorities.
• Mentor and assist with training Regulatory Compliance Officer Apprentices (Level 4).
• Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.

Why Essex?

To read more about us please visit:

People, Policy, Economy and Public Health - Working for Essex

Entry to work - Working for Essex

As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we're committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in Everyone's Essex . With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We're committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process.

We're also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles , including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

How to apply:

Start your journey within the Essex Trading Standards Team by clicking the APPLY button now!

If you are interested in finding out more about this role or require further information, we would love to hear from you. Please email: work.placements@essex.gov.uk .

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service .

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community .

Additional Information:

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email work.placements@essex.gov.uk

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