Apprentice Customer Service Technician - Staines

Affinity Water is offering a fantastic career opportunity to join our skilled frontline teams as an Apprentice Customer Service Technician. Whether you’re leaving school or college, looking to upskill in your career, or seeking a complete career change, Affinity Water will give you the help and support you need to succeed.

As an apprentice, you’ll join a recognised water industry training programme, carefully tailored to your development and delivered by leading industry experts. You’ll be working in a real team alongside people with years of solid experience, who will give you day-to-day support and mentorship, helping you to learn the tools and techniques you need to build a rewarding career in the water industry.

About our Customer Service Technicians

Our Customer Service Technicians are responsible for operating and stewarding our below-ground networks to ensure we provide high quality drinking water to our customers. They are responsible for making cost effective decisions on the operation, repair and maintenance of the water network, ensuring there is minimal disruption to our customer’s water supply. Our Customer Service Technicians attend customer home appointments to resolve water supply issues. They investigate, advise and report on enquiries providing a quality customer experience to meet customer expectations on all enquiries while delivering regulatory and company standards.

This is a varied role, which may include supporting with burst mains, supporting the fire brigade with water supplies, planning and executing network isolations to facilitate works, investigating reports of visible leakage and completing network MOTs to assure the accessibility and operability of our assets.

About the Programme

As an Apprentice Customer Service Technician, you will work with Affinity Water and our approved training provider to meet the key responsibilities of your programme and the wider duties of your role. This is an exciting chance to kickstart your career and we will support you every step of the way through a range of activities and real-world opportunities. These include:

• Attending workshops, virtual learning sessions and coaching sessions as planned
• Completing a variety of learning activities, assignments and exams
• Taking part in additional ‘off the job’ learning activities to support your growth
• Receiving regular progress reviews with your manager and training provider
• Undertaking an end-point-assessment at the end of your apprenticeship to confirm your achievement
• Sharing feedback and helping to shape our future careers schemes
• Accessing additional eLearning and self-driven learning offerings for further growth
• Receiving mentorship from experienced industry teams
• Shadowing all aspects of our network operations and getting involved as you progress
• Developing knowledge of our vital water networks
• Working across a variety of locations
• Developing first-class customer service skills and learning what it takes to be at the front line of an essential public service
• Working collaboratively with a variety of colleagues from across the Business, including other Customer Operations teams, Control Operations Centre, Planning and street works teams, Water Quality, Asset Strategy, as well as external stakeholders and supply partners.
• Working at both indoor and outdoor locations which involves working in a variety of weather conditions.

Requirements

• Full UK Clean/Manual UK Driving Licence
• 3 GCSEs with a grade 4 (C) or above (Desirable)
• Ability to perform manual handling activities safely and competently such as operating valves and lifting lids.
• Competent in use of Microsoft Office applications
• Keen interest in the environment and water industry
• Willingness to help people and support local communities
• Strong desire for career progression and passion for continual learning

Pay and Benefits

• A starting salary of £20,827 with an additional flex allowance of £4,884
• Salary reviews at key programme milestones with the potential to earn £40,137 plus flex allowance when fully trained and qualified and having successfully achieved all targets
• An additional standby allowance of £5,694 once all programme elements are completed and you are signed off to work as an independent Customer Service Technician
• Learning and development opportunities, including mentoring and a range of formal courses and open learning resources.
• Entry into the company annual bonus scheme.
• Annual leave from 23 days rising with length of service, and the option to purchase up to 5 extra days.
• A ‘Celebration Day’ in addition to public holidays that people can use to celebrate a religious festival or other occasion that is important to them.
• A generous 'double match pension scheme' that doubles the contributions you make (company contribution capped at 12%)
• We offer a range of family benefits including enhanced Maternity, Adoption, Paternity, Shared Parental Leave, Fertility Support Leave and up to 5 full or 10 half days of paid Carers Leave.
• Menopause policy and Reasonable Adjustment policy to help everyone perform at their best.
• Access to our Wellbeing Centre with support for looking after your physical and mental health.
• Discounts at a Range of Retail Outlets and on Dental and Medical Insurance through our Tap4Perks scheme.
• Disability confident (if you need to apply through a different format, please contact the Talent Acquisition Partner for this role)

Affinity Water recognises the benefits of greater diversity in our workforce to better reflect the communities we serve. We are committed to building a more inclusive culture where every member of our workforce can thrive.