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City and Guilds

The main purpose of a customer service specialist is to be a ‘professional’ for direct customer support within all sectors and organisation types. You are an advocate of Customer Service who acts as a referral point for dealing with more complex or technical customer requests, complaints, and queries. This apprenticeship develops the key skills and behaviours required for a customer service specialist.

Throughout your apprenticeship, you will be required to record the number of hours you spend learning and training. This will be equivalent to 20% of your working hours for the whole duration of the apprenticeship. This can be achieved through a range of methods, such as work-related training, or self-study within your usual working week. This will be agreed with your employer at the start of your apprenticeship.

This qualification has been developed to support learners completing the Customer Service Specialist Apprenticeship Standard and covers the required knowledge, skills and behaviours.

Knowledge

• Business Knowledge and Understanding
• Customer Journey knowledge
• Knowing your customers and their needs/Customer insight
• Service Culture and environment awareness
• Customer Service Culture and environment awareness

Skills

• Business focussed service and delivery
• Providing a positive customer experience
• Working with your customers / customer insights
• Customer Service Performance
• Service Improvement

Behaviours

• Develop self
• Ownership/ Responsibility
• Team Working
• Equality
• Presentation

Functional Skills in English and Maths. These are key elements of your apprenticeship and are essential to the role of a customer service specialist. If you do not already have a GCSE at Grade 9-4 in these subjects you will be required to study Functional Skills at the appropriate levels. Most employers look for ability in these areas and the majority of university courses require you to have Maths and English GCSEs at Grade 9-4.

Assessments will take place both in the workplace and at the College, using an online e-portfolio.

Prior to commencing your apprenticeship, you will complete an online induction which includes an assessment of your maths and English skills to determine your current abilities, and an introduction to your e-portfolio.

During your apprenticeship, you will produce assignments, gather product evidence for your portfolio, be observed by your assessor in the workplace, and complete an online multiple choice test under exam conditions.

After on programme learning is completed, you will complete the End Point Assessment. This consists of a practical observation in your workplace with questioning, a work-based project and interview, and a professional discussion on your portfolio. This is conducted by an Independent End Point Assessor from City and Guilds.

GCSE Grade 9-4 in English and Maths.

OR

Certificate evidence of English and Maths at Level 2.

AND

You should be working in a role that corresponds with the study program and have sufficient customer interaction in your role.

If you do not have the English and Maths requirements, we can support the development of your English and Maths skills through completion of Functional Skills in the relevant subject and one-to-one support.

This is a work-based course, although you may be required to attend sessions to complete an online multiple choice test.

Please contact the Apprenticeship Recruitment Team on 01924 789469 or email apprenticeships@heartofyorkshire.ac.uk

Successful completion of this apprenticeship will allow you to progress to Higher Education studies at Level 4 and above, including Foundation Degrees. This apprenticeship will also support progression to other related occupational areas, such as Business Administration or Marketing, to give some examples.