Recycling officer apprenticeships

Environment and land

Recycling officer apprenticeships - where to start

You can get into this job through

a university course

a college course

an apprenticeship

volunteering

applying directly

University

Many employers will ask for a higher national diploma or degree in waste management or environmental sciences, accredited by the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management. You'll usually need 1 or 2 A-Levels, or equivalent, for a higher national diploma. You'll need 2 to 3 A-Levels, or equivalent, for a degree.

College

You could do a college course to learn some of the skills you need for this job, like a Level 3 Certificate in the Principles of Sustainable Waste Management. You'll usually need 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a Level 3 course.

Apprenticeship

Apprenticeships relevant to this role include:

Level 3 Junior energy manager
Level 6 Environmental practitioner
Level 7 Sustainability business specialist degree apprenticeship

You'll usually need:

5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for a Level 3 apprenticeship
4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A-Levels, or equivalent, for a degree apprenticeship

Volunteering

Paid or unpaid experience working in waste management, or on local recycling or environmental projects, can help you get started if you do not have a higher education qualification.

Direct Application

You could apply directly to work as a recycling officer. It will be helpful if you have a good standard of education, and experience of recycling projects and initiatives before applying.

Recycling officer apprenticeships - what it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

leadership skills
customer service skills
the ability to work well with others
business management skills
to be thorough and pay attention to detail
to be flexible and open to change
maths knowledge
knowledge of manufacturing production and processes
to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Restrictions and Requirements

You'll need to have a full driving licence

Recycling officer apprenticeships - what you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

In your day-to-day duties you could:

manage local recycling facilities and collection services
report on and monitor recycling services
assess tenders and manage contracts
manage budgets and fund applications
manage and promote local sustainability projects and initiatives
provide advice on waste management and recycling issues
investigate complaints
recruit and train volunteers

Working environment

You could work in an office or at a waste recycling site. Your working environment may be outdoors some of the time. You may need to wear safety clothing and use safety equipment.

Career path and progression - Recycling officer apprenticeships

With further study you could become a chartered waste manager. You could also move into freelance work as an environmental consultant. You may be able to apply for chartered environmentalist status.

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Considering an Apprenticeship?

There are lots of benefits to apprenticeships, here are our top 5:

Paid Training
Not only will your organisation (or the Government) pay for all of your training, but you’ll be paid to do it. That means you could actually get paid to get your degree and have no debt!
Range of career opportunities
There are over 625 different apprenticeships to choose from, in a range of industries. Whether you’re interested in law, marketing, construction or engineering, you’ll find something up your street!
Earn & learn
As an apprentice, the minimum you’ll earn is £6.20 an hour, but we’ve seen apprentices earn a starting salary of up to £30,000 a year! You could also get other employee benefits like gym memberships, paid holiday and sick pay.
Great career prospects
Employers think apprentices are 15% more employable than those with other qualifications. In fact, many large employers train their graduates and apprentices together!
Learn on the job
There’s only so much you can learn when you just do a qualification. As an apprentice, you’ll also get to learn on the job - whether that’s designing amazing graphics, chopping vegetables or building engines!

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