Business Support Apprentice Level 3

Job Introduction

About Us

Directorate: Children, Education and Families

Business Support Teams: Across Children Social Care and Special Educational Needs 

Starting Salary: £ 25, 185

Temporary: 18 months

Primary Locations: Abingdon, Witney, Bicester, Kidlington, Barton, Cowley

Oxfordshire County Council are looking for the next generation of leaders who have the passion and skill to navigate the biggest challenges facing communities, improving everyday life for people in their communities. If you want to make a tangible difference while gaining a qualification, you couldn’t ask for a better place to start.

Our Business Support Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship programme offers a great pathway to gain a wealth of new skills and experience. At Oxfordshire County Council we recruit as much for attitude as we do experience, therefore we will expect applicants to be enthusiastic, keen to learn and adaptable to change which are some of the key skills we will look for at the interview process.

About the Role

Business Support Apprentices will:

• Learn how to deal with a range of enquiries from the public, colleagues and partner agencies
• Learn about the services your team provides and signpost any enquiries to appropriate areas
• Learn how to perform general business support duties 
• Work towards a formal qualification through achieving set targets
• Training will be delivered in the workplace and dedicated time at one of the Abingdon and Witney Colleges.

About you

An apprenticeship is a trainee role designed for an individual who has little or no previous work experience. As a trainee member of the team apprentices will develop the skills and knowledge necessary to perform administrative duties to support social care and special educational needs teams.

Rewards and benefits

• You will be based in a rewarding and challenging environment.
• Every day is different so plenty of variety.
• There are opportunities to learn essential administration skills and gain a qualification that will benefit you in your future careers.
• Competitive rates of pay.
• 24 days annual leave each year, plus bank holidays.
• Tailored induction.
• Good onward career opportunities.
• Excellent pension scheme, with employer contributions 
• Staff Discount Scheme

Moving On

After you have successfully completed your Apprenticeship, you will have gained valuable workplace experience and attained a qualification which will improve your chances of moving into a role within the Council or with another employer.

Please ensure that you answer the questions in the application form, use your previous experiences at school, college, work or in your personal life to give detailed and relevant examples.  

Living our Values:

Our organisational values are what is important to us as an employer, above all our values underpin how we serve the people of Oxfordshire and how, as employees we work and behave with each other.

•  Always learning
• Be kind and care
• Equality and integrity in all we do
• Taking responsibility
• Daring to do it differently 

Our commitment to:
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

At Oxfordshire County Council we are proud of our diverse workforce. Everyone is accepted for who they are, regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marital status, race, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, or on maternity or family leave. We have a number of staff network groups which provide peer support, education and safe spaces for all.

Our commitment to:
Guaranteed Interview Schemes

As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee an interview for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job. We also guarantee interviews to care leavers who have completed further education and who meet the essential criteria for the job. For those leaving care without any further education, we guarantee an interview for our apprenticeships. We are also committed to helping and supporting those transitioning from HM Armed Forces to civilian life and guarantee an interview for those demonstrating the essential criteria for the role, within three years of leaving the service.

Our commitment to:
Safeguarding

Oxfordshire County Council are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect these commitments.

Our commitment to:
Flexible Working

We are open to discussions about flexible working, which can include flexi-time, full time and part time working, job sharing, nine-day fortnights and annualised hours, depending on the requirements of the role and the service.

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Closing date: Sunday 3 May 2026

Date of IT Assessments and interviews to be confirmed upon shortlisting

For further information please email:
Kieris Mace – Head of Business Support Service - kieris.mace@oxfordshire.gov.uk 

Or 

Clare Edwards – Business Support Operations Team Leader - Email: clare.edwards@oxfordshire.gov.uk