Level 6 Trading Standards Apprenticeship (Tobacco & Vapes legislation) Are you interested in a career in consumer protection, regulation, and enforcement? Did you know that the government is supporting local authorities to recruitment and train apprentice Trading Standards Officers to enforce new regulations on cigarettes, tobacco and vapes as well as the full range of trading standards duties? Trading Standards already enforces strict rules on tobacco and vapes, and it is about to get even more serious! Last year, across the country, Trading Standards seized more than a million illegal vapes, 19 million counterfeit cigarettes and 5,103kg of illicit hand rolling tobacco. New rules are about to be implemented, and this role will be crucial in helping us to ensure compliance in Wolverhampton. This is a fantastic opportunity to join the City of Wolverhampton Council Trading Standards team. You will be involved with supporting the Government’s initiative to stop harmful tobacco and vape products finding their way into neighbourhood shops and stopping underage sales. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill 2024-25. As a Trading Standards Officer you would be involved in a wide range of activities and projects, all aimed at ensuring a fair, safe, and legal trading environment across the City of Wolverhampton. Contract details Fixed term contract: *30 months or 41 months Hours: 37 Hours per week Salary: Year 1 £24,735 Years 2 & 3 (subject to future NLW pay awards) The shorter apprenticeship course is aimed at people who have completed the Level 4 Regulatory Compliance Officer apprenticeship standard or have similar prior knowledge. This will be obtained from applicants and discussed with the training provider if the person is successful. General activities or duties could include: Taking samples/test purchases of foods, consumer goods such as toys, cosmetics, and electrical items, to have them checked against legal standards. Interrupting doorstep rogue traders On site and on-line inspections of manufacturers and suppliers of goods Advising businesses to help them trade fairly. Working with partners to protect consumers and businesses from frauds and scams Investigating rogue traders, preparing criminal cases, and giving evidence in court. Your role will be varied and fulfilling. As a trainee Trading Standards Officer, you will be working towards a Level 6 Apprenticeship (equivalent educational level: Bachelor’s Degree) plus Chartered Trading Standards Practitioner (CTSP) status from the Chartered Trading Standards Institute. As well as the mandatory Tobacco & Vapes module, learners will also complete another specialism: weights & measures and become competent in enforcement in those areas. You will be supported through a structured training programme with a talented and experienced team around you. With a defined career path, you will qualify as a Trading Standards Officer capable of working across the full spectrum of disciplines, covering, fair trading, product safety, weights, and measures. It is a highly rewarding job in public service, where you can make a real difference. Working for the City of Wolverhampton Council will mean that you will have access to modern and well-resourced office and collaborative spaces, and first-class provision of IT, software, and other equipment to enable you are effective in your role. Along with our commitment to provide structured, face to face mentoring, shadowing, and learning opportunities. To be considered, you will need a good standard of general education, and the aptitude and commitment to study towards a professional qualification. (we think having a degree will stand you in good stead here, but it is not essential, and we are open in terms of where you may have gained your experience). You will need the ability and desire to learn, and the capacity to understand and interpret complex legislation. You will also need first class communication and customer service skills, high attention to detail, and great organisational skills. We also think you will have perseverance, patience, the awareness to quickly read situations, and the ability to remain calm in sometimes difficult circumstances. Employer information City of Wolverhampton Council is a forward-thinking organisation that is passionate about the recruitment and development of apprentices within the organisation. The apprenticeship vacancies we provide here gives you the opportunity to join the largest employer in the borough, whilst gaining new skills with on-the-job training and recognised qualifications. City of Wolverhampton Council hold a high retention rate of apprentices who go on to gain full time employment within the authority. Please use the following link to find out more about apprenticeships within City of Wolverhampton Council - Apprenticeships and Internships | Our Careers | WV Jobs | City of Wolverhampton Council The successful apprentice will receive on the job training and will complete the Level 6 Apprenticeship (Equivalent educational level: Bachelor’s degree). – Trading standards professional / Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education level6_tradingstandards_vape.pdf Please note: if you already have previous qualifications in a similar subject, please contact the People Development and Experience team on the email below to check you are eligible to apply. If you would like to discuss this apprenticeship or require more information about the role then please contact PDE.Team@wolverhampton.gov.uk or Paul Dosanjh Service Manager - Trading Standards & Licensing Paul.Dosanjh@wolverhampton.gov.uk Please note: If successful, you will be required to evidence the qualifications stated on the submitted application form in relation to the essential criteria on the role profile form before any offer would be made. For full details of the responsibilities and requirements of this role please see the attached Role Profile. Our working arrangements All council roles are allocated to either a fixed, field or flexible work style. Some roles are agile which enable and empower employees to maximise their performance and productivity, whilst maintaining a healthy work life balance. Roles with a fixed workstyle work in a fixed permanent council location. Roles with a field workstyle are usually allocated where employees are required to be out working in the community with a minimum requirement for 'touch down' space at any council location. Roles with a flexible workstyle have a flexible base location to meet the needs of the business and employees can work from a mixture of home or any council office, partner/client, or external location, as required to meet service requirements. Please refer to the Job Description for further information on the workstyle assigned to the role you are applying for. For more information about working for our organisation including the culture of the Council, the Council plan and vision, staff equality forums, core HR policies and much more please click here. Diversity We are committed to building a workforce that is reflective of the diverse community we serve. We want to attract the best applications from people of all backgrounds and underrepresented groups because we strongly believe in adding value through diversity, inclusion, and equality. Our employees enable us to deliver services that are accessible, inclusive, and reflective of Wolverhampton residents. Our status as a Disability Confident Employer showcases our commitment to people with disabilities or health conditions, advocating for their opportunities and potential. We've received the Stonewall Gold Award, emphasising our dedication to the LGBT community by nurturing an inspiring, inclusive, and equal workplace. As of March 2023, the RACE Code Quality Mark signifies our active engagement with racial equality. These recognitions validate our continuous efforts towards fostering an inclusive work environment that respects and values our diverse employees. As part of our commitment as a Disability Confident employer, a Gold Award Armed Forces employer and our commitment to supporting care leavers - we offer a guaranteed interview as long as your application meets the essential criteria for the post. We encourage, inspire and value an inclusive culture here at the council where employees can flourish, thrive and be themselves. We have four staff equality forums for employees to join. These help to ensure our employees have a voice, they feel empowered to speak up and where everyone is treated with respect - Learn more about the staff equality forums here Recruitment of Ex-Offenders We are committed to the fair treatment of all our employees, potential employees, or users of our service regardless of offending background. The Council uses the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) for any vacancies that require a DBS check to obtain information about applicants to assess their suitability for employment in positions of trust. We do not discriminate unfairly against any individual on the basis of a conviction or any other information revealed as a result of a DBS disclosure - Learn more here Employment Information & Support If you are considering applying for an apprenticeship or a role where the salary is (Grade 2-5), and would like to visit us to learn about the application, interview process and what it is like to work for the council, please click on this link to find out more - Learn more here Attached documents Level 6 Trading Standards Apprenticeship