Business Administration Apprenticeship
Start a career with an apprenticeship in our friendly and fast-paced Student Services team. Gaining experience in customer service, reception, event coordination and office administration while supporting students, staff, visitors and employers across the College. An opportunity to build confidence, develop skills in a supportive environment
Role
An excellent opportunity to develop practical business administration skills within a large College environment, working as part of the busy Student Services team. As a Business Admin Apprentice, you will support the Front of House Administrator and Student Services Team Leader to deliver an efficient, professional and customer-focused administration service across the College. You will be the first point of contact for many people accessing the College, helping to create a welcoming, friendly and positive experience for students, visitors, staff and external partners, as well as responding to enquiries via telephone and email. You'll act as an ambassador for the College at all times, promoting a professional, inclusive and helpful image. You will support activities including coordinating room bookings, distributing post, arranging printing and photocopying, preparing certification, processing bursary forms, maintaining records and supporting the purchasing, monitoring and distribution of materials and resources. You will also provide administrative support to senior College staff as required. Part of the role will be helping to organise College meetings, events and enrolment activity - preparation of plans, rotas and room bookings, preparing materials, and ensuring that arrangements are in place for activities to run smoothly. You will also help with communications to prospective and current students, administrative support for employer-facing or off-site activity where required, using College IT systems to complete tasks accurately and efficiently. Excellent communication and customer service skills, attention to detail, a willingness to learn and ability to work effectively as part of a team is essential. The successful applicant will be expected to maintain confidentiality, follow College procedures, comply with health and safety requirements, and demonstrate a commitment to safeguarding, Prevent, equality, diversity, inclusion and British Values.
Key responsibilities:
- Provide a welcoming, professional and courteous reception service to students, staff, visitors, parents/carers, employers and other customers.
- Respond to enquiries in person, by phone or email, ensuring customers are signposted to the correct person or service.
- Support the FOH Administrator and Student Services Team
- Leader with day-to-day admin duties.
- Assist with the coordination and organisation of enrolment events, meetings, activities and College events.
- Arrange room bookings, prepare rotas and support the organisation of spaces, resources and materials.
- Distribute post, support printing and photocopying requests, and maintain organised administrative records.
- Provide administrative support to senior College staff.
- Process routine documentation, such as certifications, bursary forms and other student or staff-related paperwork.
- Support the purchase, monitoring and distribution of stationery, materials and other resources.
- Use College IT systems and office equipment confidently and accurately.
- Identify opportunities to improve customer service and administrative processes.
- Work flexibly across College sites or departments to provide administrative support and cover.
- Follow College procedures relating to data protection, confidentiality, safeguarding, health and safety, equality/ diversity, and Prevent.
- The post offers valuable experience for someone starting their career in business administration, customer service or education support, with the opportunity to develop confidence, communication skills, organisation, digital administration and a strong understanding of how a large college operates.
Training
The apprentice will complete the Level 3 Business Administrator Apprenticeship, combining practical, on-the-job learning within the College with structured training and support from an apprenticeship training provider. At the end of the programme, they will achieve a nationally recognised Level 3 Business Administrator qualification, which is equivalent in level to A levels.
Training will develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to work confidently in a professional administration and customer-service role. This is likely to include:
- Delivering high-quality customer service to students, visitors, staff, employers and other external customers.
- Communicating professionally in person, by telephone and in writing.
- Using digital systems and office software to manage information, records and administrative tasks.
- Organising meetings, events, room bookings, resources and administrative processes.
- Managing workload, priorities and deadlines effectively.
- Handling information securely and maintaining confidentiality.
- Understanding College policies, procedures, equality, diversity, safeguarding, Prevent, health and safety, and data protection requirements.
- Identifying opportunities to improve services and administrative processes.
Career progression:
- The apprenticeship will provide a strong foundation in customer service, administration, communication, digital systems, event support and organisational processes. These transferable skills can support progression within Student Services, Faculty administration, reception, executive support or wider College operations.
Possible future roles include:
- Business Administrator or Senior Administrator
- Student Services Administrator
- Front of House or Reception Administrator
- Faculty or Curriculum Administrator
- Executive Assistant or Personal Assistant
- Project Administrator or Project Coordinator
- Operations Administrator
- Office Supervisor, Team Leader or Office Manager
- With experience and further development, the successful candidate may also move into a specialist area such as customer service, events, finance, human resources, data administration, employer engagement or project support
- Apprenticeship Standard
- Business administrator (level 3)
- Training Provider
- CITY OF SUNDERLAND COLLEGE
- Working Week
- Mon-Thursday Early: 8am-4pm Late: 8.30am-5/5.30pm Friday Early: 8:00am – 4.30pm Late: 8:30 - 12:30 One week early shift followed by one week late (subject to business needs) plus support on evening events on an ad hoc basis.
- Expected Duration
- 1 Year 6 Months
- Positions Available
- 1
- Closing Date
- Friday, 30th October 2026
- Start Date
- Monday, 16th November 2026
Desired Skills
- Communication skills
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Administrative skills
- Number skills
- Team working
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Patience
- Friendly and Approachable
- Efficient
- Good telephone manner
- Flexible
Qualifications
- English GCSE, grade 4-9 (Essential)
- Maths GCSE, grade 4-9 (Essential)