Apprentice Business Administration

Durham County Council; North East; On-site; GBP 12,000 - 18,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government body in the North East is offering an Apprenticeship in Strategic Waste and Refuse & Recycling. This role involves assisting in day-to-day administrative tasks, promoting sustainability, and learning about waste management processes while working towards the Level 3 Business Administrator qualification. The position entails valuable hands-on experience and potential for career progress within the council. Support and mentorship will be provided during the apprenticeship period.

Benefits

Generous annual leave entitlement

Career progression opportunities

Support from skilled professionals

Mentorship

Flexible working arrangements

Qualifications

• Must be able to work as part of a team.
• Good communication and ICT skills required.

Responsibilities

• Assist with day-to-day administrative tasks.
• Support rollout of new recycling and waste initiatives.
• Input and manage data accurately.
• Retrieve and analyze information for service performance.
• Communicate with internal teams and external partners.

Skills

Good communication skills

ICT skills

Teamwork

Education

None specified

Job description

Are you looking to start your career in a role that makes a real difference to the environment and local communities? Join our Strategic Waste and Refuse & Recycling teams as an Apprentice and gain valuable experience while working towards a recognised qualification. This is an exciting opportunity to learn how local government services operate and contribute to projects that promote sustainability and improve recycling rates.

What you’ll be doing

• Assisting with day‑to‑day administrative tasks across both teams.
• Supporting the rollout of new recycling and waste initiatives, including Simpler Recycling and Food Waste collections.
• Learning how to input and manage data accurately using our systems.
• Retrieving and analysing information to help monitor service performance.
• Communicating with internal teams and external partners to ensure smooth operations.

What you’ll learn

• Practical skills in data entry and system management.
• Understanding of waste and recycling processes and legislation.
• Experience in project support and administrative best practices.
• Teamwork and communication skills in a professional environment.

Earn. Learn. Qualify.

Do you want to earn while you learn, with the chance of progression once you qualify? Do you want the opportunity to grow, develop and be the best version of yourself? Then why not build the foundations of your career with an Apprenticeship at Durham County Council.

Why choose Durham County Council?

• We offer a wide range of rewards and benefits, including a generous annual leave entitlement.
• We have a successful track record in supporting our apprentices to secure permanent employment, with 3 in 4 apprentices securing a further role with us.
• We have been recognised as a Top 100 Apprenticeship Employer!
• As a Disability Confident Leader and a member of the North East England Rainbow Alliance, we are committed to equality and diversity in the workplace.
• You will learn from skilled professionals whilst being supported to study towards a recognised qualification with a college, university, or training provider.
• We will support you every step of the way, with a dedicated Mentor, the option of a buddy for disabled new employees and great networking opportunities with other apprentices.

A passion for all things business?

Business Administrators are at the heart of an organisation. They provide valuable support for a wide range of business functions, from dealing with enquiries to managing databases. A career in Business Administration can take you anywhere! The field is broad and there are many roles to choose from depending on your interests.

While the duties will vary depending on the team you are based in, you will assist in a variety of tasks associated with the running of a successful and modern office. You will learn to develop and maintain databases using specialist systems and communicate effectively using a range of media including email, telephone and Microsoft Teams. You will work alongside our Business Administrators providing essential support to teams across the council, gaining experience and developing your skills.

You will be trained on all systems, processes, and procedures which apply to the role. This will be via on the job, shadowing, and formal in person and virtual training sessions to gain knowledge and understanding of the role and scope of the service.

If you are looking for a career that gives the freedom to be able to work in almost any setting, this is an excellent pathway for you! This Apprenticeship is for a period of 2 years.

Your normal place of work will be Meadowfield Depot, Durham but you may be required to work at any Council workplace within County Durham.

What qualification will I gain?

You will study towards the Level 3 Business Administrator standard with DurhamLearn.

What will I need?

You must have good communication and ICT skills together with the ability to work as part of a team.

Please use the ‘Person Specification’ section of your application form to demonstrate that you have the essential and, where possible, desirable experience, skills, and knowledge. Candidates who do not evidence that they meet the essential qualifications and experience listed on the person specification will not be short‑listed.

We encourage you to contact Natalie Ellison via email [e-mail] or Ann Harper, [e-mail] if you have any questions about this opportunity.

DurhamWorks

If you are aged 16-24 living in County Durham and not in education, employment, or training, you can take advantage of the help and support available from DurhamWorks. This dedicated programme works with you to remove any barriers preventing you from progressing.

Visit durhamworks

Employability Durham

If you are aged 25 and over, unemployed and live in County Durham, Employability Durham can offer you help and support to get back into work or start your own business.

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DurhamEnable

If you are 18+, have a neurodivergence or disability and fit the criteria, DurhamEnable offers dedicated Job Coaching support from pre‑application to post employment. Helping disabled people get and keep the right jobs for them.

Visit durhamenable

INTERVIEWS

Interviews will be held week commencing 19th January 2026. We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that can show they meet all the essential criteria and have indicated they have a disability, are a looked‑after young person, care leaver or a veteran.

OUR OFFER TO YOU

We offer a competitive rewards package that includes attractive salaries, a generous annual leave entitlement of 27 days (rising to 32 after five years’ continuous local government service), membership of the excellent contributory career average Local Government Pension Scheme, and a range of flexible working arrangements including hybrid working (home and office) where applicable. Rewards and benefits are subject to individual terms and conditions. Explore the full range of rewards and benefits on our website.

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION

We are a proud equal opportunities employer and believe a diverse workforce brings fresh ideas and drives service improvement. We welcome applications from everyone and make employment decisions based on skills and ability. As a Disability Confident Leader, we actively encourage applications from disabled people and offer support throughout the recruitment process.

HOW TO APPLY

Please note, we do not accept CVs. All applications must be submitted online via the Northeast Jobs portal. Use the ‘Person Specification’ section of the form to clearly demonstrate how you meet the essential (and where possible, desirable) criteria. Applications that do not evidence the essential requirements will not be shortlisted. For guidance on completing your application, visit our website.

We welcome applications from disabled people and those who are or consider themselves to be neurodivergent.

If you require assistance when applying for this role, please contact our Recruitment Helpdesk on 03000 26 27 27, or via email [e-mail]. All correspondence relating to your application will be sent from [e-mail]. Kindly check your spam/junk folder regularly to ensure you don’t miss any updates.

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