Maintenance Apprentice (Planned and Reactive)
St Vincent Care Homes Ltd
£7.00-9.00 per hour (age dependant), you will be working across the Southsea and Gosport sites so working hours will be a mix of 8am-5:15pm, 37.5 hours a week
Role is subject to a DBS check, this will be paid for by the employer.
We are a family run business, that have been in the care home industry for just under 40 years. We employ close to 200 staff, across four care homes, in Gosport, Southsea and the Isle of Wight.
In this role, you will perform planned and reactive maintenance, within the care home. Some of your tasks will include monthly/weekly testing of various systems, renovating bedrooms, and carrying out work to ensure the care homes are a safe environment for its residents.
You will be working alongside the care homes maintenance team, who have a wealth of experience in various trades, and working in sometimes challenging surroundings.
As a Care Home Maintenance Apprentice, you’ll help play a vital role in ensuring the safety and comfort of residents and colleagues within our care home. Your responsibilities will include:
- Routine Checks: Conducting routine checks, Legionella, Fire Alarm, Fire Doors, Fire Extinguishers, Profiling Beds, Nurse Call system, Window Restrictors, Carbon Monoxide Alarms, Door Guards, Wheelchairs, Emergency Lighting, Airflow Mattress. These tasks help to keep the care home and its facilities. in good working order and create a safe environment.
- Safety Compliance: Complying with all the relevant legislation and regulations, surrounding the care homes, and ensure when working you keep yourself and others safe.
- Maintenance Skills: Learning to demonstrate a solid basic proficiency, in tasks such as decorating, carpentry, electrical, plumbing and tiling, to name a few. This is not an extensive list, but covers our main tasks. You’ll also learn how to use all tools associated with those tasks.
- Collaboration: Working effectively with our internal maintenance team and external contractors. You may also work together with other teams within the care home like, house keeping and the homes managers.
- Compassion and Sensitivity: Being mindful, caring, sensitive, respectful and compassionate toward the residents, within the care home.
Skills
- Ability to work independently
- Problem solving
- Effective time management
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Computer/tablet skills
Personal qualities
- Being patient and caring
- This is a physical role, and can include moving furniture, mechanical assistance beds, building materials like, plaster board and timber
- The unblocking of drains and toilets is something that has to be done at times, so a strong stomach can help
- Ladders are also used in this role, so you will be required to work at heights and legal training is given
Access to a driving licence and car will help you get to the care homes and college. See 'Things to keep in mind' for postcodes of the care homes so you can ensure you can travel between.
Qualifications
GCSE 9-3/A*-D in English and maths or Functional Skills Level 1 in both, proof of certificates is required.
You will attend maths and English Functional Skill Level 2 classes as part of the apprenticeship and before reaching the EPA stage will have gained Level 2 in both subjects.
Due to the demands of the role, applications with less than the required grades will not be considered. Equally, applications received without stating GCSE maths and English/Functional Skills/equivalent results will not be considered.
What does the programme include?
This occupation is found in the construction and built environment sector, where properties across the housing, healthcare, social care, hospitality, education, commercial, leisure, retail, and private and public sectors, require maintenance to keep them in a safe working condition, and to optimise their quality or performance.
The Level 2 apprenticeship standard for the Property Maintenance Operative is designed for apprentices in property maintenance roles. Property Maintenance Operatives need to demonstrate a range of skills, this can range from minor repairs to refurbishment of existing property stock.
The apprentice will trained in the following areas Painting and Decorating, Tiling, Carpentry, Brickwork, Plastering, Plumbing. The apprentice will gain a basic knowledge of how to deal with electrical faults i.e. making a system safe and following the company procedure to call in external specialist contractors. Tasks will vary from project to project, working with external contractors and providing first and immediate response to fault finding, whilst maximising quality and ensuring cost effectiveness.
What attendance is required?
A 24 month apprenticeship programme delivered on a day-release basis (one day per week) at City of Portsmouth College's North Harbour Campus in North Harbour, Portsmouth. Time spent training will come under the working hours per week.
Learning and assessment
The EPA gateway is when the EPAO checks and confirms that the apprentice has met all requirements before starting the EPA. The apprentice will only enter the gateway when the training provider and employer says they are ready. The gateway requirements for EPA are to have achieved Functional Skills Level 2 English and mathematics qualifications and submit a portfolio of evidence.
Assessment methods
City of Portsmouth College will provide support for employer and apprentice to prepare for end-point assessment by our first-rate, fully trained assessors. Our simple, flexible service meets the demands of your team and your partners.
- Practical assessment with questions: observed by an independent assessor completing a set of tasks. It will last 10 hours. They will ask at least 10 questions.
- Interview underpinned by a portfolio of evidence: an interview with an independent assessor. It will last at least 60 minutes. They will ask at least 10 questions. The questions will be about certain aspects of the occupation. The portfolio is compiled the EPA gateway and is used to help answer the questions.
- Multiple-choice test: this is closed book, meaning the apprentice will not have access to any books or reference materials. The test will have 40 multiple-choice questions and will have 60 minutes to complete it.
The overall grades available for this apprenticeship are:
- Fail
- Pass
- Merit
- Distinction
This apprenticeship is part of our wider offering in the sector and apprentices can develop new and existing talent with ILM management apprenticeships including: Team Leader/ Supervisor Level 3; Operations/Departmental Manager Level 5; Chartered Manager Degree Level 6 and the Senior Leader Master’s Degree Level 7.
Future prospects
Upon successful completion of the Apprenticeship, and subject to progress as an employee, St Vincent Care Homes would like to offer you a full time job. Progression within the business can lead to opportunities like becoming a Maintenance Manager.
Things to keep in mind
- Induction and training: You will undergo a welcome induction covering essential training (e.g., moving and handling, safeguarding). Role-specific training will follow, ensuring you’re well-prepared for your responsibilities.
- Wage: first year, under 18 - £7.00 an hour, over 18 - £9.00 an hour. Second year, under 18 £8.00 an hour, over 18 £10.00 an hour. This is not set in stone and can be increased, through performance reviews.
- Time and half, if you need to work a Bank Holiday.
- 5.6 weeks holiday, has to be accrued in the first year, then given annually.
- Access to services like Child Care vouchers, Blue Light Card, counselling helpline.
- Postcode of Gosport care home PO12 4TH, postcode of Southsea care home PO5 3NU.