A chance to earn as you learn in council’s revenues and benefits service
Shropshire Council is offering eight lucky people the chance to earn while they learn within its busy revenues and benefits team.
These apprenticeship roles will combine learning on the job, while studying towards the Revenues and Benefits Practitioner Level 4 Apprenticeship. Details of what this involves can be found here:
Join our apprenticeship scheme in our revenues and benefits team.
About the service
The revenues and benefits service provides vital statutory services to the council in the assessment and collection of council ax and business rates, and assessment and payment of housing benefit and council tax support.
These are challenging times in revenues and benefits due to:
- Increased pressure to maintain our high collection rates
- The continued requirement to process benefit applications accurately and quickly
- The application of different charging polices
- Changing customer expectations
- Welfare reform changes and the introduction of Universal Credit.
The revenues and benefits team are looking for keen, willing to learn, motivated individuals to support the service to tackle these challenges and provide excellent services to its customers.
Revenues and benefits apprentices will report directly to the Revenues and Benefits Training and Development Manager within the service. These are new roles based on a fixed term contract, and the successful candidates will be placed within one of our busy revenues and benefits teams, as well as working towards the Level 4 Apprenticeship, and achieve this within the length of the contract. Once completed there may be an opportunity to secure full time employment within Shropshire Council.
The person
In revenues and benefits you need a broad skill set, as you will be dealing with a wide variety of people, from council tax payers, businesses, benefit claimants and other support agencies. You will need to be good with numbers, able to interpret and explain legislation (which will be embedded as part of the apprenticeship/development within the role), and be proficient with using IT systems (ie Microsoft programmes).
If you think you are a good all-rounder then these roles should be for you. This is a great opportunity for forward-thinking people to become actively involved at an exciting time for revenues and benefits.
The primary workbase will be Shirehall, Shrewsbury, with a hybrid approach to home working and office-based working in the future.
The apprenticeship
The role will enable the successful candidates to access a unique opportunity. The role allows the individual to gain a nationally-recognised qualification, earn a competitive apprenticeship salary, and gain valuable on the job experience and continuous skills development throughout the programme.
Apprentices utilise 20% of their role (approximately one day a week) to focus on development alongside the apprenticeship; learning new skills, shadowing, completing assignments, and accessing exclusive and specific training in the revenues and benefits specialism.
Apprentices are supported throughout the scheme by mentors, team colleagues and the training provider. Shropshire Council have a wide network of apprentices across various programmes, and encourage a supportive environment to ensure that all are successful in their apprenticeship journey.
Want to find out more?
If these roles are of interest, then please come along to one of our Apprentice Information Sessions which are being held on Wednesday 29 June 2022 in the Council Chamber at Shirehall in Shrewsbury.
The first session will be from 2pm until 3.30pm, and the second session will be from 3.45pm until 5.15pm.
If you would like to attend this event, or have any questions, please email Alison Oulton at alison.oulton@shropshire.gov.uk
