Apprenticeship - Highways Maintenance Operative

We are looking for five enthusiastic apprentices to join our frontline team, contributing to the delivery of frontline Highways work. As a Groundworker Apprentice, you will make a difference by supporting the StreetCare Design and Operations team who play a key role in the delivery of frontline highway maintenance, civil engineering and structural engineering schemes throughout South Gloucestershire.

What will you be doing?

Groundworkers are the first trade onto a construction and civil engineering site and they work closely with supervisors and engineers in interpreting design specifications to prepare the site ready for the structural building works to take place.

• You will be working fixed hours, with the following shift pattern: 7:45am to 4.30pm Monday to Thursday and 7:45am to 3.30pm Friday.


• Working alongside experienced staff, you will support and contribute towards the physical construction of a wide variety of features including, site clearance, fencing, drainage, earthworks, traffic signs, road markings and retaining walls.


• You will learn and assist in highways maintenance, civil engineering and structural engineering works.


• In addition, you'll be taught how to undertake general manual labouring work, assisting in excavations, reinstatements and specialist practices such as asphalt mixes, landscaping, structures and temporary traffic management.


• The most challenging part of this apprenticeship will be being responsible for your own safety on site as well as your fellow workers and the general public, adhering to directed safe methods of work at all times.


• Throughout your 21 month apprenticeship, we will allocate you a workplace mentor to give you guidance and support throughout your completion of the apprenticeship programme. You will also have the support of a College Assessor throughout your programme.
  
  You will ideally hold a minimum of GCSE Grade 9-4 (or Grade A-C ) or equivalent qualification in English and Maths or be willing to undertake and gain Level 2 Functional Skills in English and Maths as part of the apprenticeship.


• You must have the ability to work in a team, be self-motivated with good attention to detail and organisational skills.


• You must have a good work ethic and commitment to gaining your qualification as well as your learning on the job and your employment.
  
  How a career at South Gloucestershire Council is different


We value our staff as individuals, investing in their careers and we are recognised for the quality, breadth and depth of our training and development offer, which helps make the greatest long-term difference in work.
We recognise that our diverse team of skilled and dedicated people make us a great place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and ensure that individuals are selected, promoted and developed on the basis of their merits and abilities.
Our teams at South Gloucestershire Council are making a real difference to the lives of people who live, work and learn here.

• We're building and shaping communities which people are proud of.


• We're planning for the future; building and improving the roads, railways, schools, green spaces, and houses.


• We're providing essential services across our communities to ensure they are safe and well maintained.


We've achieved a great deal, but we need talented and dedicated people to ensure we continue to make a difference.

"We're making a difference, be part of it!"
This is a 21 month Limited Term contract role. This Apprenticeship will start in September 2024 therefore, we are looking for the successful candidate to start employment with us in August 2024 or before.

You will be required to travel on a daily basis to our Broad Lane Depot, Engine Common Lane in Yate office and project work sites.

Interviews will be face to face and we anticipate for interviews to start from week commencing 24th June 2024.

The StreetCare Design and Operations Team has an exciting forward programme of future highway schemes. We have a £125m package of schemes to deliver as part of the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement. This involves delivering the reopening of Charfield Railway Station and two active multimodal travel corridors along the A432 and A38 corridors., All candidates that successfully reach the interview stages will be required to provide a 5-minute Mastermind talk on your favourite specialist subject. This is a key opportunity to sell yourself as an individual at the start of your apprenticeship journey.
You will be expected to participate in a 21 month Groundworker Apprenticeship at Level 2. The training provider will be Gloucestershire College and you will attend block release training at their Cheltenham campus.
You will need to meet the eligibility criteria for starting the apprenticeship.
The salary for this apprenticeship is set at the current Age National Minimum Wage:

Age

Hourly Rate

Aged 21+

£11.44

Aged 18-20

£8.60

Under 18

£6.40
Gloucestershire College will deliver the Level 2 Groundworker apprenticeship with block release training. Across the 21 months, there will be regular progress reviews and support from a College Assessor to build your portfolio of evidence.