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Customer service practitioners provide a high quality service to customers which will be delivered from the workplace, digitally, or through going out into the customer’s own locality. This apprenticeship develops the key skills and behaviours required for a customer service practitioner, to support their customer service delivery.

If you are undertaking Functional Skills as part of your apprenticeship, you will be required to attend Castleford Campus for a week block of teaching, per Functional Skill subject. This will be discussed at your enrolment and induction.

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.

You will work with an assessor who will guide you through your programme of learning to produce a portfolio of evidence using e-portfolio, within your workplace. You may also be required to attend college to learn theoretical concepts relating to customer service, in agreement with your employer.

To achieve this apprenticeship, you will study the City & Guilds Level 2 Customer Service Practitioners standard.

The standard includes knowledge, skills and behaviours that will be evidenced throughout the apprenticeship.

Knowledge

• Knowing your customers
• Understanding the organisation
• Meeting regulations and legislation
• Systems and Resources
• Your role and responsibility
• Customer experience
• Product Service and Knowledge

Skills

• Interpersonal Skills
• Communication
• Influencing skills
• Personal Organisation
• Dealing with customer conflict and challenge

Behaviours

• Developing self
• Being open to feedback
• Equality
• Presentation
• “Right first time”

The Diploma for Customer Service Practitioners Level 2 may also be completed alongside this qualification.

Functional Skills in English and maths:
These are key elements of your apprenticeship and are essential to the role of a customer service practitioner. 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. Maths and English skills will support your apprenticeship programme, assisting you with assignment writing, research, job applications, communication and problem solving, to mention just a few.

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. This is why the development of Maths and English is so important, whatever your field of study.

Completion of the qualification and functional skills will lead to End Point Assessment. This consists of grading of your portfolio, a practical observation in your workplace, and a professional discussion on your learning. This is conducted by an Independent End Point Assessor from City and Guilds.

Assessments will take place both in the workplace and at 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.

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

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