Trade Sales & Service Apprentice

Howden Joinery Limited; Newton Aycliffe; On-site; GBP 15,000 - 18,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Staff discount

Pension

Paid holidays

Job summary

Howdens Joinery is offering a Level 2 Trade Supplier Apprenticeship in Newton Aycliffe. The program lasts 12-15 months with a salary of £16,686 and team incentives, plus dedicated mentoring from a Depot Manager.

You will learn our product range, support stock control and deliveries, and develop confidence in a fast-paced depot environment. You will serve trade customers face-to-face and over the phone, build relationships, and be supported to achieve Maths & English if needed.

Qualifications

• We hire for attitude and potential, not experience.
• Good communication and customer service mindset.
• Desire to develop a long-term career in trade retail.

Responsibilities

• Serve trade customers face-to-face and over the phone.
• Help with building relationships and supporting sales.
• Learn our product range including kitchens, joinery, materials.
• Assist with stock control and deliveries.
• Develop confidence in a fast-paced depot environment.

Skills

Friendly

Confident

Keen to learn

Reliable

Organised

Education

Level 2 Apprenticeship

Job description

About the Apprenticeship

Location: Newton Aycliffe

£16,686 salary plus team incentives

Level 2 Trade Supplier Apprenticeship

Duration: 12-15 months (Level 2 Apprenticeship)

Support to achieve Maths & English (if needed)

A dedicated mentor and supportive Depot Manager

• Staff discount, pension, and paid holidays

What you will be doing

• Serving trade customers face-to-face and over the phone
• Building relationships and supporting sales
• Learning our product range (kitchens, joinery, materials)
• Supporting stock control and deliveries
• Developing confidence in a fast-paced depot environment

Who we’re looking for

We hire for attitude and potential, not experience

• Friendly, confident and keen to learn and get stuck in
• Reliable and organised
• Looking for a long-term career, not just a job

Where this role can take you

• Trade Counter Sales
• Business Development
• Kitchen Design
• Depot Management

About Howdens

Howdens Joinery is a highly successful FTSE 100 business, with more than 900 depots nationwide and more than 11,000 staff. Last year our sales reached circa 2.3bn, and we continue to experience significant growth and success. Despite our scale, Howdens remains a local business with traditional values. There is a strong entrepreneurial ethos and the opportunity to develop within a fast-paced and commercial environment. That, along with a competitive salary, development opportunities, and exciting rewards, are among the reasons why our people enjoy working for Howdens - and why we have been named one of the 10 Best Big Companies to Work For.

Howdens is founded on the principle of being Worthwhile for ALL concerned. We’re working hard to ensure we provide an inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome.

We will do everything we can to support you during your application. If you need us to make any adjustments to our recruitment process, please email [e-mail] with the job title and location, and we will be happy to help you.

Please note that candidates applying for this role must have a valid right to work in the UK, we do not offer sponsorship of employment for any depot positions at this time. We appreciate your understanding.

As a proud member of The Sunday Times Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers, we offer exciting opportunities for both apprentices starting out and experienced professionals ready to take the next step in their careers.

Whether you're working in our depots, building strong relationships with our trade customers, or applying your expertise to create, manufacture and distribute our market-leading products, there are many roles that make Howdens a success.

Howdens is the UK's number one specialist kitchen supplier, trusted by the trade since 1995. From just 14 depots when we started, we’ve grown to nearly 950 across the UK and Europe, and we’re still growing. At Howdens, our people are at the heart of everything we do. Whether in our depots, manufacturing sites, or support teams, everyone plays a vital role in helping us grow, innovate, and make a difference. We work exclusively with trade professionals, giving them the products, service, and support they need to deliver kitchens fitted to the highest standard. By building strong partnerships with local tradespeople, we help them exceed their customers’ expectations, and in turn, we all succeed together. Our success is built on a simple but powerful model: locally empowered depot teams backed by a world-class supply chain. This means we can keep products in stock, provide exceptional service, and deliver real value to our customers every day.