Trading Standards Professional Apprentice

Full time – 4 year contract 

With potential progression to

• Trading Standards Trainee
• Trading Standards – Enforcement Officer
• Trading Standards Officer L1

An exciting opportunity has arisen at Bedford Borough Council within Regulatory Services and the Trading Standards team, offering a great opportunity to start a new career, gaining a recognised professional qualification while working as a Trading Standards Apprentice.

The successful candidate will join our professional, supportive and successful Trading Standards service, and will develop a wide range of knowledge and skills associated to enforcement and investigatory work whilst working alongside experienced Trading Standards professionals and associated regulatory enforcement officers.

The team deliver a wide range or regulatory activities associated to product safety, food standards, tackling illicit tobacco and vapes, counterfeit productions, animal health and weights and measures.

This role will focus on tackling illegal tobacco and vapes, and underage sales. You’ll support businesses to be compliant, and your work will help to protect consumers and legitimate traders.

We do not require any previous Trading Standards experience but do require applicants to have the dedication and commitment to undertake the Level 6 Trading Standards Professional Apprenticeship, alongside delivering requirements of the role.

The successful candidate will need to demonstrate that they are passionate about the role of trading standards, with a positive can do attitude and commitment to meet the demands of the Apprenticeship. 

Further specialist training will also be available to support development of the successful candidate. The role will require regular attendance at the main office base within Bedford, although one to two days a week remote working may be possible to support requirements of the apprenticeship such as online workshops, reviews etc. Applicants will be required to  hold a current driving licence with access to a vehicle for work.

How to apply

When you are ready to apply, click on ‘Apply for Vacancy’; you will be asked to upload a CV and answer some application questions.  The application questions require a yes/no response.  Please make sure your CV shows how you meet the requirements for the role you are applying for, the job profile below will show the essential selection criteria.  An optional CV template is provided below.  

Please note:

The Council will not normally re-employ ex-employees in receipt of:

· a severance payment (within 12 months of leaving)

· a local government pension (applies to Senior Officers only) unless the appointment is business critical

Closing Date: 22nd October 2025

Bedford Borough Council is proud to support the Armed Forces Covenant, Care Leavers Covenant and is a Disability Confident Employer. For more information please visit https://www.bedford.gov.uk/jobs-and-careers/why-work-us