HR & Organisational Development Apprentice in Kingston upon Thames

Enhancements/Additional Payments

N/A

Apprenticeship Standard - More Details

Apprenticeship Standard Level 5 People Professional Apprenticeship

About The Borough

Found in zone 6 with good transport links in and out of London, Kingston is a vibrant and diverse university town which creates the rich sense of community shared across the borough and its Residents. Kingston boasts an idyllic riverside location, good shopping and great restaurants, as well as a mix of modern and historic town centre. Kingston has lots of open parklands and cycle routes that help connect the district town centres into an enjoyable place to live and work.

We are passionate about working closely with our residents and vulnerable groups to help them maintain their independence and create a balance between support and independent living.

About The Role And Our Ideal Candidate

About the Role

We have an exciting apprenticeship opportunity within the London Borough of Sutton Council's Human Resources Service, and we are looking to recruit two individuals who are keen to kick-start their careers and develop their skills across Employee Relations and Workforce Development.

As an HR Apprentice, you will benefit from a unique development opportunity, spending one year in each team to gain a broad understanding of HR and the different ways we support the organisation. You will work alongside experienced colleagues, build practical skills and knowledge, and contribute to the delivery and development of our HR services. You will be based in Sutton, working within our shared service with a focus on supporting the London Borough of Sutton Council. This is a hybrid role, combining home working with time spent in our Civic Offices in Sutton, with an expectation of attending the office two days per week.

Joining us at an exciting time, you will have the opportunity to learn, contribute new ideas and gain valuable experience across two key areas of HR, helping you build a strong foundation for a future career in Human Resources.

Our Ideal Candidate

We are looking for two enthusiastic, motivated and committed individuals to join our apprenticeship scheme. Whether you're leaving education, looking to start your career or take a new direction, we'd love to hear from you. We particularly encourage applications from care-experienced individuals and anyone who is eager to learn, develop new skills and gain valuable work experience. Regardless of your previous experience or qualifications (although you must be at least 16 years of age, not in full-time education, and not already hold a qualification at the same or higher level in this subject area that would make you ineligible for the apprenticeship), we're welcoming applications from those who show potential, determination and a drive to succeed.

In return we can give you the opportunity to kick-start your career under the management of our skilled and experienced staff, whilst earning, learning and achieving nationally recognised qualifications at the same time. As a HR Apprentice, alongside meeting the eligibility criteria for the apprenticeship, you will need administrative & computer skills, be a great communicator, good attention to detail, and be enthusiastic and eager to learn. You should be willing to help us provide exceptional customer and responsive service and be passionate about promoting a learning environment. As you move through your apprenticeship you will support us in delivering projects. Please note, in order to qualify for apprenticeship funding you must meet the following criteria:

• Hold a GCSE level C/equivalent in Maths and English and be able to present original qualification certificates - if you do not hold these qualifications/certificates you must be committed to complete these via functional skills assessments as part of the apprenticeship.
• Only apply for an apprenticeship unrelated to any qualifications they hold at the same or higher level than the apprenticeship they wish to apply for. The apprenticeship being applied for must be unrelated in subject and content from the qualification already held.
• Not be enrolled on another funded apprenticeship or another funded further education or higher education programme at the time you start your new apprenticeship.
• Have the right to work and study in England and be one of the following:
• A citizen of a country within the European Economic Area (EEA or have the right to abode in the UK and have been resident in the EEA for at least the previous three years on the first day of your apprenticeship.
• A non-EEA citizen with permission from the UK government to live in the UK, (not for educational purposes) and have been ordinarily resident in the UK for at least the previous three years before the start of learning.

About Us

Joining us, you get to work for not just one high performing London Borough, but two. Sutton and Kingston councils have a number of shared services serving both authorities, with some teams and roles more focussed on one council than the other, but the majority are shared across both, meaning you get multiple opportunities to learn from a wider pool of activities and two different political bodies.

We work flexibly at Sutton council offices, and support working at home or flexible working patterns that enable you to tailor your working and personal life. We provide the equipment and tools to enable you to work flexibly, and in return ask you to use that flexibility to be creative and ambitious in the services we deliver.

Sutton is a well-connected and attractive part of London, renowned for its excellent schools, green and leafy open spaces, and rich heritage. Its museums, libraries and wider cultural offer reflect the borough’s strong sense of place and community. The Council has high ambitions for the future, set out in its corporate plan, Ambitious for Sutton, with a clear focus on ensuring Sutton remains a great place to live, work and raise a family.

The Council plays a leading role in a range of local partnerships and places great importance on working closely with residents, listening to local voices, responding to their priorities and ensuring Sutton’s interests are heard across London government.

Sutton is also home to major initiatives such as the London Cancer Hub, reflecting the borough’s ambition to deliver transformational projects and build strong partnerships across sectors.

The Council is committed to tackling the climate emergency, and are investing in new technologies, innovative approaches and changes in the way we live and work, with the aim of reducing carbon emissions and improving our environmental impact.

You will work at the heart of an ambitious, forward-looking team, delivering high-impact programmes and partnerships that make a lasting difference to our residents, communities, and the environment.

If you are looking for an opportunity that will challenge you to deliver more, support you to achieve your personal ambitions, and put residents at the heart of everything you do, Sutton could be the place for you.

Our Offer To You

• minimum contract duration of 12 months (some are longer depending on the level of apprenticeship you undertake)
• offer 23 days paid annual leave
• access to our online staff benefits portal (including discounts at local and national shops, restaurants and attractions)
• the opportunity to undertake 3 volunteering days per year in Kingston
• minimum starting salary of £22,432 per annum
• hybrid working, a flexible working model which allows staff to work from a variety of locations and staff are not required to work within the office 5 days a week.
• It enables staff to achieve a work life balance whilst still meeting the needs of the organisation.
• In addition there are further discounts available to apprentices and more information can be found at the Apprentice Extra website and Apprenticeship Connect website.

We're extremely proud of our apprenticeship scheme and the achievements of our apprentices, many of whom have secured permanent employment with the Council and continue to excel in their careers.

Additional Information

We are proud to be a diverse and welcoming Borough and we strive to create a workforce which reflects the community we serve, and instil a sense of belonging in our staff. We celebrate and respect differences and appreciate the value of having a diverse workforce, therefore we welcome applications from under represented groups.

To support our workers and their families we offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements, staff engagement forums and inclusive staff networks who help drive our diversity agenda.

We are also proud to be a disability confident employer and guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum essential criteria for a role. As an accredited London Living Wage Employer all our employees are guaranteed the London Living Wage regardless of their length or type of contract.

The UK has a points-based immigration system affecting EU and Non-EU workers and sponsorship requirements. We advise checking the GOV.UK website for right to work guidance. Sponsorship availability varies and is subject to eligibility requirements and budget limitations. As a result, we cannot guarantee sponsorship for all roles and will evaluate sponsorship requests on a case-by-case basis.