Apprenticeships - Print version

About us

'One Coventry' is our approach to building a Coventry that works for all. It is not a programme with projects and milestones; it is about how we do things now and in the future. It's working together to improve people's lives and the city.

At Coventry City Council, we enable individuals and families to live their best lives and achieve successful outcomes through customer contact, public health prevention, education & skills, adult and children’s services and by providing support for the most vulnerable. The work we do improves people’s lives – from helping them into work, to providing clean and green places to live and keeping people safe and protected.

We genuinely believe that Coventry City Council is a special place to work, and our colleagues take immense pride in providing services to our residents to improve their lives and make Coventry a better city for everyone.

Our service areas include:

• Adults & Housing
• Children's & Education
• City Services
• Digital Services
• Executive Management
• Finance
• Human Resources
• Innovation
• Law & Governance
• Partnerships & Performance
• Policy & Communications
• Property Services & Development
• Public Health & Insight
• Regeneration & Economy

We offer apprenticeships that will enable you to start your career across all of these service areas.

Our apprenticeships

We see the value in apprenticeships as a foundation of a great career and offer a range of opportunities and career pathways.

Examples of the types of apprenticeship available at the Council

• Business Administration
• Civil Engineering
• Customer Service
• Design and Marketing
• Electrical Installation
• Events
• Facilities Services
• Finance
• Highways
• Horticulture/Gardening
• IT
• Legal
• Plumbing/Heating
• Vehicle Mechanic

Why choose us?

Apprenticeships at Coventry City Council offer you the chance to start a career and reach your potential in a supportive and structured environment.

As an apprentice at Coventry City Council, you will gain new knowledge, experiences and qualifications, all whilst earning a salary.

We recognise that for many people an apprenticeship will be their first experience in the world of work, and this may come with some nerves about what to expect and the support you will receive.

In addition to the support you’ll get from your manager and team, as an apprentice at Coventry City Council you will also have a dedicated Apprenticeship Officer that will work with you to provide:

• Pastoral care and mentoring
• Access to additional learning and development opportunities
• Career advice and guidance
• Employability support

Quality of your experience is at the heart of everything we do, and we will ensure that you get the most out of your apprenticeship and will provide you with the support to take the next step in your career.

The Council also has a variety of active and vibrant employee networks [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/diversity-inclusion/diversity-inclusion-1], including a young employee network where you can meet, share your experiences and socialise with other young Council employees.

Apprenticeships are a key part of our plans to train the Council’s workforce of the future so we do all we can do to ensure our apprentices stay with us after completing their apprenticeship.

Due to this approach 95% of Council apprentices who finished in 2024 went into employment.

Apprenticeship vacancies and how to apply

Current apprenticeship vacancies [https://careers.coventry.gov.uk/jobs/category/108]

Eligibility

To be eligible for our apprenticeships you must:

• Be aged 16+
• Have valid ID proving your right to work in the UK
• Have been resident in the UK or EU for the past three years (there are some exceptions to this including for refugees or asylum seekers. If you don’t meet this criteria you can contact us to see if you are covered by an exception)
• Not already be on an apprenticeship programme or government-funded education programme (unless this is due to finish or you will leave it prior to starting your apprenticeship with us)

Apply for apprenticeships

Apprenticeships at Coventry City Council:

• On our jobs page [https://careers.coventry.gov.uk] press ‘Login/Register to create an account (You will only have to do this once).
• Select the apprenticeship vacancy you are interested in and read through all the information.
• Press "Apply", complete all sections of the application form.
• Press "Submit". You will receive an email to confirm your application has been received.

Apprenticeships at Coventry schools:

• Select the apprenticeship vacancy you are interested in and read through all the information.
• At the end of the advert you will see an application form – download the form
• Complete the application form and e-mail it to the school using the e-mail address on the advert.
• The school will then contact you regarding the next steps.

Support with your application

We understand that applying for jobs can be a daunting process if you’ve not had any or much experience and don’t know what to expect.

There is support available to you via the Council’s Job Shop [/jobshop]. Colleagues at the Job Shop will be able to assist you with applying for our apprenticeships and also offer a wide range of additional employment support.

Hear from our apprentices

Oliver - Finance Apprentice, Finance and corporate 

What does your apprenticeship involve on a day-to-day basis?

"Day to day in my apprenticeship I work looking mainly at the children’s and education side of finance. Some of the tasks I cover include raising bulk purchase orders so that our suppliers can get paid for their services. I also check all the invoices we have received from these suppliers and see what outstanding orders are still to be paid. I also help with looking at the post approvals work where I can assist with. This is where areas of the service area request for either new members of staff or contact variations. I help with costing up how much the changes will be and gathering any information that is missing from the initial request to send to budget holders for approvals.

What do you find most interesting about your role?

“The greatest challenge is coping with the level of responsibility that you have with children’s education. I ensure I remember that each child is different and that they will require different levels of intervention. Some days will be really chaotic and you feel like you’re chasing your tail, but it’s always worth it.”

How will you apprenticeship help you with your future career?

"Currently working as a finance apprentice will help my future career as I hope to progress all the way into becoming an accountant starting off with this will give me a lot of experience and will help me a lot further down the line as I believe hands on experience in the workplace will give me a more “real world” approach to tasks."

Charleigh, Events Apprentice, Event Management

What do you find most interesting about your job?

"My job is extremely interesting and I have been fortunate enough to have worked such a large array of events so far. The Radio One Big Weekend was the first event I was involved in. I thoroughly enjoyed going behind the scenes of such an immense event to see how it is planned and put together.

Since then I have worked on many events including: the Godiva Festival, the International Children’s Games and the Queen’s Baton Relay. What I love most about my job is that every day is different, with different challenges to overcome and countless memories made!”

How will your apprenticeship help you with your future career?

"My apprenticeship will set me up for a great career in events. Being part of the council I also get a lot of opportunity to work with other teams, meaning my knowledge and skills are greater than I had ever would have expected.”

What advice would you give to someone thinking about applying for an apprenticeship?

"I am a massive advocate for apprenticeships having already completed one and now completing this one; I am fortunate to have gained such a wide range of knowledge and skills whilst earning my certification at the same time.

Getting to ‘earn while you learn’ makes my work life balance much easier. As I don’t need to have a secondary job alongside earning qualifications I have a lot of downtime to myself. Apprenticeships tend to bring together like-minded people and I have met lots of great people through my apprenticeship.”

Tyler, Combustion and Heating Apprentice, Repairs and Maintenance

What does your apprenticeship involve on a day-to-day basis?

"On a day-to-day basis I can be doing various tasks including: plumbing, gas engineering, general labouring, gas servicing, or changing parts on boilers."

What do you find most interesting about your apprenticeship?​

I like meeting new people and spending time in a work environment. I enjoy getting familiar with and understanding the history of the buildings.  I also get to learn new skills and develop my knowledge on the job."

What advice would you give to a person who is thinking about applying for an apprenticeship?

“If you are interested in getting a job within the council then an apprenticeship is a great way to start, you gain hands on experience and gain a qualification and put into practice your skills and understanding into a job" 

Ali, Learner Services Apprentice, Adult Education 

What does your apprenticeship involve on a day-to-day basis?

The day-to-day tasks that my apprenticeship involve general admin tasks such as:

• Answering the phone and answering learner’s enquiry's.
• Enrolling learners onto courses.
• Taking payment from learners for courses.
• Sending emails to external stakeholders.
• Working with various teams within Adult Education.
• Other general admin tasks

What has been your greatest challenge? How have you dealt with it?

My greatest challenge must be public speaking. I have been able to overcome this by speaking at a school assembly to promote apprenticeships as a pathway and what kind of apprenticeships we offer at Coventry City Council. The opportunity to speak with the students was extremely valuable and insightful. 

What are your plans when you finish your apprenticeship?

My plan once I complete my apprenticeship is to stay within Coventry City Council. To be more specific to move over to the Supported Accommodation and Housing Team. I want a balance between office working and outdoor working and becoming a Supported Accommodation Officer is the best of both worlds. 

Jacob, Highways Maintenance Apprentice, City services

What does your apprenticeship involve on a day-to-day basis?

Since I started my apprenticeship, every day has been different, some days it’s tarmacking, laying kerbs, slabbing and block paving or general labour, working on repairs or installation of new highways.  It’s important to follow all health and safety protocols as we are working on busy highways and working around heavy machinery.

What do you find most interesting about your apprenticeship?

Working with different gangs, learning new things from those with more experience.  We go to college on block release every quarter and have attended many training courses which has helped build my skills and knowledge.

What advice would you give to a person who is thinking about applying for an apprenticeship?

It is a good way to develop life skills and understand a working environment. Getting to learn and earn makes work life balance much easier. As there’s no need to have a secondary job. With the qualifications you may pick up on the way it can help lead to lots of things in the future.

Fathema, Customer Services Apprentice, Customer and Digital 

What does your apprenticeship involve on a day-to-day basis?

On a day-to-day basis I complete a lot of tasks throughout the day, which include calling residents about device bank collection, emailing and replying to residents who enquire about my team (#CovConnects) and services, arranging meeting agendas for my team meetings, visiting different organisations across Coventry to support residents with any digital queries and much more!

What do you find most interesting about your role?

 I enjoy meeting new people and helping support with Digital Inclusion. My favourite thing currently is supporting the Digital Inclusion ESOL network, where I can support by giving my lived experiences on how to help and support different communities with ESOL to be digitally included. In addition to this, I love calling different organisations about their device collection from our #CovConnects device bank. I enjoy seeing how excited everyone is and how much it makes a difference in resident's lives across Coventry!

What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about applying for an apprenticeship?

Do it! I encourage everyone to apply for an apprenticeship since it is a great way to get work experience, study at the same time and you will gain a qualification at the end of the apprenticeship. You will receive first-hand work experiences throughout your apprenticeship which is a great way to build confidence, leadership, independence and many more skills.

Information for parents and carers

Apprenticeships: What parents and carers need to know.

So, what is an apprenticeship?

Apprenticeships are designed by employers to ensure that the training undertaken is matched to the skills, knowledge and behaviours an apprentice will need for that role and career.

Apprenticeships allow people to gain both the practical skills and experience as well theoretical knowledge required at the same time.

All apprentices spend a minimum of 6 hours per week working towards a nationally recognised qualification, paid for by the employer.

Apprenticeships are no longer solely for engineers or craftspeople; there are now over 600 different types of apprenticeship across every industry and sector, with this number growing each year.

Apprenticeships are continuing to grow in popularity, with over 75% of young people now considering an apprenticeship as the best way to shape their future career.

Apprenticeships are no longer a second-choice option to going to university; in fact, apprentices can now undertake Degrees and even Master’s, all funded by their employer.

Apprenticeships are more than achieving a qualification, they give individuals valuable work experience and a great insight into how a business works.

Who can apply for an apprenticeship?

Apprenticeships are open to anyone who is:

• Aged 16 or over by the end of the school summer holidays
• Has lived in the UK for 3 years+
• Is not in full-time education*

If you are in full-time education you can apply for an apprenticeship, but you must either finish or leave before starting the apprenticeship.

Apprenticeship levels

Apprenticeships are available from Level 2 to Level 7 and are categorised as:

• Intermediate – level 2 – equivalent to 5 GCSEs at 4/C and above.
• Advanced – level 3 – equivalent to 2 A-levels passes.
• Higher – level 4-7 – Foundation degree and above
• Degree – level 6-7 – Bachelor’s or master’s degree

How is the training delivered?

Apprentices are employed full time and as part of this are paid to study towards their qualification. Depending on the type of apprenticeship this study could involve either day or block release to a college or training provider or delivery on the job or virtually by the training provider. Apprentices are given a minimum of 6 hours per week to study so that they are able to complete the requirements to achieve their qualifications.

Who funds apprenticeships?

Apprenticeships are funded by the employer, so there is no cost to the apprentice.

Are apprentices just given basic tasks?

Some people still mistakenly think that the role of the apprentice is to make the tea, sweep the floor and undertake basic tasks that others don’t want to or don’t have the time to do.

This may have been the case many years ago, but apprentices are a key part of us training the next generation talent and to do this we ensure that they are given a wide range of tasks and supported to fulfil their potential. 

How are apprentices supported?

We recognise that for many people an apprenticeship will be their first experience in the world of work and this may come with some nerves about what to expect and the support they will receive.

In addition to the support our apprentices will receive from their manager and team, they also have a dedicated Apprenticeship Officer that will work with them to provide:

• Pastoral care and mentoring
• Access to additional learning and development opportunities
• Career advice and guidance
• Employability support

The council also has a Young Employees Network ‘Generation CCC’ where they can meet other young employees and apprentices to socialise, provide mutual support and access to further development opportunities.

Do apprentices go into jobs when they finish?

Apprenticeships are a key part of our plans to train the Council’s workforce of the future so we do all we can do to ensure our apprentices stay with us after completing their apprenticeship.

Due to this approach over 95% out of 10 Council apprentices who finished in 2021/22 went into employment.

If you have any other questions that aren’t covered here, please see our ‘Your questions answered’ page [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/future-talent/apprenticeships-early-careers/4] or get in touch using the contact details below.

Your questions answered

I’ve heard it’s hard to get a job at the Council and I need to already know someone working there?

We don’t quite know why some people still think this, but it couldn’t be further from the truth! As a Council we pride ourselves on having a fair and transparent application process that gives everyone an equal chance to showcase their suitability for roles. Just like our city, our apprentices come from a variety of diverse backgrounds.

What ages are your apprenticeships open to?

All ages. You can start at 16 after finishing Year 11 and there’s no upper age limit.

What are the entry requirements?

These vary by apprenticeship, but as apprenticeships are entry level positions, we keep them to a minimum. We aren’t looking for you to already have lots of experience, you’ll get that on the apprenticeship. We are looking for you to have an interest in the apprenticeship you’re applying for and to have transferrable skills you can use. There are minimum requirements for Maths and English for apprenticeships, these will be listed on the job description for each role. If your application is shortlisted, we will undertake an assessment to see if you are currently working at the right level.

What will I be paid?

Our apprentices start on the minimum wage for 18-20 year olds (£10 per hour/£19292 per year as of April 2025).

When do you advertise?

The majority of our apprenticeships are recruited all year round. However, most of the apprenticeships at our primary schools are recruited to between May and July to start in September.

How long do your apprenticeships last?

This depends on the level of apprenticeship, it can range from 15 months up to two years, some can be up to four years. It will be stated in the job advert as fixed term contract followed by the length of contract.

What level apprenticeship will I study?

The level will be included in the job advert. The type and level of apprenticeship will be related to the role that you will be doing. Our entry level apprenticeships will be at either Level 2 or 3. Apprenticeships can range anywhere from level 2 to level 7 and some of our apprenticeships will also offer you the opportunity to move on to a higher level qualification after completing the first one.

Where do I apply?

All of our apprenticeship vacancies are advertised at www.coventry.gov.uk/jobs [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/jobs].

View our current apprenticeship vacancies [https://careers.coventry.gov.uk/jobs/category/108]

National Apprenticeship Week

National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) is a week-long celebration of apprenticeships that takes place annually in early February. The week aims to raise awareness of the benefits of apprenticeships and to encourage people to consider them as a career path. This year runs from Monday 10 February to Sunday 16 February.

NAW 2025 encourages everyone to consider and celebrate how apprenticeships and skills help individuals develop rewarding careers, and employers to develop a workforce with future-ready skills. Together we will inspire the nation with engaging stories of apprentice and learner progression – sharing their increased confidence, skills, knowledge and how such programmes have kick-started incredible careers.

What's on offer

Celebrate National Apprenticeship Week with the Apprenticeship Team! We will be hosting a range of exciting events, including a school careers fair where school students will come and explore apprenticeship opportunities from a wide range of employers and training providers. Don’t miss our virtual information session to learn more about how apprenticeships can kickstart your career. Plus, follow along on our social media channels as we take over and share all the latest updates and success stories throughout the week!

Free virtual information sessions

More information on the Virtual Information Sessions:

• Morning session [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/events/event/8560/virtual-apprenticeships-information-session-morning]
• Evening session [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/events/event/8561/virtual-apprenticeship-information-session-evening]

Sign up to a session [https://myaccount.coventry.gov.uk/service/Apprenticeship_information_session_sign_up]