Trade supplier apprenticeship

About the course

As a trade supplier apprentice you will play a vital role in ensuring an efficient sales of goods and services between trade businesses and their skilled customers, with options to work across a variety of sectors including electrical, plumbing, joinery.

Our programme has been developed with market leaders including Screwfix, Selco and the Grafton Group.

This apprenticeship uniquely combines training in both the warehouse and the trade counter together with a strong focus on identifying and managing customer needs. This means you will gain a wide range of skills and knowledge from which to progress within the industry.

The trade supplier apprenticeship will equip you with the skills and technical knowledge of the products offered by your trade business together with the communication skills to confidently manage customer sales at the trade counter and over the telephone, providing high quality sales services and account management that encourages regular and repeat business.

The programme is delivered as workshop sessions and/or 1-2-1 training helping you to successfully achieve the programme requirements. Our expert staff will support you every step of the way, guiding and training you to complete and achieve the programme.

This course is cost-free to learners. All our programmes our regulated and funded through the government or the apprenticeship levy.

Is this course right for you?

Our trade supplier apprenticeship programme is job-focused and ideal for someone who wants to become a strong and successful trade supplier. It also provides opportunities for those already working within a trade environment to enhance and advance their skills.

Additionally, no formal qualifications are required, although a good level of literacy and numeracy would be a distinct advantage.

You’ll be supported by an expert team throughout the apprenticeship with a programme designed by leading passenger transport operators so that you gain a quality learning experience by the sector and for the sector.

What you’ll learn

The programme will develop you to confidently deal with customers and manage their requests and enquiries providing the products and services they need. Whether this is through sales, purchasing, logistics or administrative processes and functions.

During the programme we’ll cover a range of topics to develop these skills and prepare you for an end point assessment. This will include:

• Overview of the UK’s trade and merchanting sector and your organisation’s role within it
• Recognising the products, services and language used by your customers and the technical application of those product and services
• Sales techniques, effective listening and understanding, telesales and face to face sales, merchandising and data protection
• Customer Processes including repairs, returns, replacements and refunds
• Relationship management with internal and external customers
• Health & safety and security including the sales of restricted goods and safe storage of goods
• Taking orders and managing deliveries
• Use of technology and systems training

How you’ll learn

Our expert staff will support you to achieve the apprenticeship. We have highly skilled and knowledgeable staff with significant experience of working in the industry who will be able to share their experiences and support you.

Typically you will have:

• An expert and dedicated trade sector specialist trainer providing ongoing training, guidance and support with regular 121 sessions, both remotely and in the workplace.
• Off the job training tasks including supplier site visits and trade conferences
• Remote support as and when the apprentices need further assistance
• 24/7 access to a range of online learning modules, materials and resources
• Quarterly progress reviews
• An e-portfolio, OneFile to record all learning activities. OneFile is an industry leading and award winning online service which can be accessed 24/7 anywhere and through any device
• End point assessment preparation and support ensuring your apprentices are ready to progress
• Support from English/maths specialists if required