Enforcement Apprentice x6

Natural Resources Wales; Upper Boat, Kenfig; Hybrid; GBP 18,000 - 21,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Civil Service Pension Scheme

28 days annual leave

Professional development

Health and wellbeing benefits

Weekly wellbeing hour

Job summary

Natural Resources Wales is launching Enforcement Apprenticeship Programme across Wales. The role offers a fixed-term opportunity until 31 March 2028, with a structured learning and practical experience in environmental enforcement.

You will support investigations, licence checks and enforcement actions, building knowledge of environmental regulation while developing professional relationships with stakeholders. Travel to multiple locations is required; a full UK driving licence is essential.

Qualifications

• Interest in environmental protection, conservation, regulation or enforcement and willingness to learn.
• Ability to undertake practical outdoor work in varied environments.
• Ability to work safely in and around water environments with training guidance.
• Basic ICT skills and ability to use standard workplace software.
• Basic literacy and numeracy (GCSE C/4 in English & Maths or equivalent).
• Previous environmental, conservation or volunteering experience is desirable.
• Full UK driving licence or travel ability to undertake duties.

Responsibilities

• Support enforcement and compliance activities for place-based operational teams.
• Assist with evidence gathering and preparation of case information.
• Develop relationships with internal teams and external partners for information and advice exchange.
• Learn environmental regulation processes and relevant legislation.
• Support incident response activities under supervision.
• Participate in training and development to advance professional skills.
• Contribute to a health, safety and wellbeing culture and comply with safety requirements.
• Undertake duties aligned with role and pay scale.

Skills

Interest in environment

Outdoor/wilderness work

Water safety awareness

ICT basics

Literacy & numeracy GCSE

Driving licence

Desirable environmental experience

Job description

The role

Do you care about the environment and want a career where you can make a real difference? Help protect Wales’ environment while building a career with purpose.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is looking for motivated and enthusiastic people to join our Enforcement Apprenticeship Programme. This is a unique opportunity to earn while you learn, gain recognised qualifications and develop the skills needed to support environmental enforcement across Wales. This apprenticeship is a fixed term opportunity running until 31 March 2028, providing a structured programme of learning, development and practical experience in environmental enforcement.

As an Enforcement Apprentice, you’ll work alongside experienced officers who help protect Wales’ rivers, fisheries, wildlife, land and communities. You’ll gain practical experience supporting investigations, compliance checks and enforcement activity while building your knowledge of environmental legislation and regulation. Typical duties will include assisting officers with fisheries licence checks, investigating illegal waste sites and helping to provide a specialist enforcement service to the wider organisation. You’ll help build productive relationships with stakeholders, offering guidance and taking proportionate enforcement action where necessary to drive compliance with environmental legislation and protect our natural resources.

This is more than an apprenticeship. It’s an opportunity to contribute to work that helps protect Wales’ natural resources for current and future generations.

This role requires regular travel to a variety of locations to undertake site visits, support enforcement activities and respond to environmental incidents. As a result, driving is an essential requirement of the post, and you must hold a full and current UK driving licence.

We have six apprenticeship opportunities available across Wales. When applying, please indicate your preferred location on the application form.

1. 204373 | South West Wales
2. 204374 | South East Wales
3. 204375 | South Central Wales
4. 204376 | North East Wales
5. 204377 | North West Wales
6. 204378 | Mid Wales

As an organisation we support flexible working. You will be contracted to an NRW office within the place base / location above and a suitable hybrid working pattern will be agreed on appointment. Any regular face to face meetings or training will be planned in advance.

To make an informal enquiry about this role, please contact Jeremy Goddard at [e-mail]

Interviews will be held in person during the week commencing 19 October 2026. As part of the selection process, candidates invited to interview will also be required to take part in a short role-play exercise, which will require them to read a short brief and then deal with a mock situation as they would being an NRW Enforcement Officer. The brief will also ask you to fulfil several key objectives during the encounter, which will be used to assess your performance. Further details, including the interview location, will be provided to shortlisted candidates when invitations to interview are issued.

About us

We’re responsible for looking after Wales’ natural environment and natural resources, helping to ensure they are sustainably managed for people, wildlife and future generations. We work across some of Wales’ most important environmental challenges, protecting rivers, coasts, forests and wildlife, regulating activities that may impact the environment, responding to incidents and emergencies, and working with partners to build a greener, more resilient Wales.

Why join NRW?

NRW plays a vital role in protecting and enhancing Wales’ environment. We regulate activities that may impact the environment, respond to incidents, protect wildlife and natural resources, and work with partners to create a more sustainable future.

As an Enforcement Apprentice, you’ll receive:

• A structured apprenticeship programme with dedicated learning and development.
• Hands on experience working alongside experienced environmental professionals.
• Opportunities to develop skills and knowledge that can support a long-term career in environmental regulation and enforcement.
• The chance to make a positive difference to the environment and communities of Wales.

Make a difference from day one

Every investigation supported, every piece of evidence gathered and every compliance check completed contributes to protecting Wales’ natural resources.

If you’re looking for a rewarding career where you can learn, develop and help safeguard Wales’ environment, we’d love to hear from you.

What you will do

• Support Place-based operational teams with enforcement and compliance activities, including evidence gathering and the preparation of case information, in line with relevant procedures, policies and legislation.
• Provide support to operational teams in the delivery of environmental enforcement and regulatory activities.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with internal teams and external partners, assisting with the exchange of information, intelligence and advice to support regulatory and enforcement outcomes.
• Develop knowledge and understanding of environmental regulation, enforcement processes and relevant legislation, ensuring work is carried out in accordance with established procedures and guidance.
• Where appropriate, support experienced colleagues involved in legal proceedings, including the preparation of information and attendance at court proceedings for learning and development purposes.
• Support incident response activities as required, following appropriate training and under supervision.
• Contribute to a positive health, safety and wellbeing culture and comply with relevant health and safety requirements.
• Undertake health and safety duties and responsibilities appropriate to the post
• Be committed to Natural Resources Wales Equal Opportunities and Diversity Policy, together with an understanding of how it operates within the responsibilities of the post
• Be committed to your own development through the effective use of your personal development plan (known as Sgwrs).
• Required to take part in incident response activities.
• Any other reasonable duties requested commensurate with the grade of this role.

Your qualifications, experience, knowledge and skills

In your application and interview you will be asked to demonstrate the following skills and experience using the STAR method.

1. An interest in environmental protection, conservation, regulation or enforcement, and a willingness to learn and develop through the apprenticeship programme.
2. Ability and willingness to undertake practical outdoor work in a variety of environments and weather conditions.
3. Ability and willingness to work safely in and around water environments following appropriate training and guidance.
4. Basic ICT skills and the ability to use standard workplace software and systems.
5. Basic literacy and numeracy skills, including GCSE Grade C/4 (or equivalent) in English and Maths, or a willingness to achieve these qualifications as part of the apprenticeship requirements.
6. Previous environmental, conservation, land management or volunteer experience is desirable.
7. Full UK driving licence, or the ability to travel independently in order to undertake the duties of the role.

Welsh Language level requirements

• Essential: Level A1 – Entry level

Please note If you do not meet the Welsh language level requirements for this role your application will not be shortlisted.

Additional Information

Due to the nature of the work the successful candidate must be eligible for Security Check (SC) clearance. This generally requires five years’ continuous residency in the UK. Further details on eligibility can be found on National security vetting: clearance levels – GOV.UK. Offers will also be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check (DBS) check.

Natural Resources Wales is unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position. Although we hold a Skilled Worker visa sponsorship licence, it applies only to specific roles that meet both the eligibility criteria and salary requirements set out by the UK Government under the Skilled Worker visa route.

Benefits

This role will offer a range of benefits, including:

• Civil Service Pension Scheme offering employer contributions of 28.97% (successful internal staff will remain in their current pension scheme)
• 28 days annual leave, rising to 33 days
• generous leave entitlements for all your life needs
• commitment to professional development
• health and wellbeing benefits and support
• weekly wellbeing hour to use as you choose

See full details for all the employee benefits you will receive.

Please keep reading

We’re passionate about creating a diverse workforce and positively encourage applications from under-represented communities. We embrace equality of opportunity irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

We are committed to equal opportunities, and we guarantee interviews for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

We want to attract and retain talented and highly skilled staff, so we make sure that our pay scales remain competitive. We advertise the full pay scale on our job descriptions. Appointed candidates start at the first point of the pay scale and annual increments are paid each year.

We want our staff to grow professionally and personally. From leadership development to access to further and higher education courses, our staff have opportunities to expand their knowledge on variety of topics, stay current in their field and continue to learn as their career progresses.

We are a Bilingual organisation which complies with the Welsh Language Standards. Welsh language skills are considered an asset to NRW, and we encourage and support staff to learn, develop and use their Welsh language skills.