Level 3 Customer Service Specialist & First Line Manager Apprenticeship

The Level 3 Customer Service Specialist & First Line Manager Apprenticeship is designed for individuals who are responsible for providing high-quality service to internal or external customers and are ready to develop their leadership skills. This apprenticeship helps learners develop the knowledge and practical skills needed to manage customer relationships, improve the customer experience, solve problems, and support and lead others. It is delivered through a combination of practical workshops, regular one-to-one coaching and formal progress reviews, alongside work-based learning.

Funding Options

Levy employers: £4,000
Non-levy employers: £200

Who Is This Apprenticeship For?

This apprenticeship is ideal for individuals working in customer service roles who want to develop their specialist customer service skills while building the confidence and capability to take their next step into first line management. Learners will develop their customer service and leadership skills, take on greater responsibility within their organisation, build practical management capability and strengthen their problem-solving and decision-making skills. The programme also supports learners in developing their confidence when supporting and leading others, helping them prepare for progression into a first line management role.

Learners Will

Develop practical leadership and management skills
Build confidence when supporting and leading others
Develop problem-solving and decision-making skills
Develop project management skills
Strengthen their customer service knowledge and capability
Apply their learning directly within the workplace
Receive regular one-to-one coaching throughout the programme
Take part in practical workshops mapped to CMI units
Receive support with portfolio evidence and off-the-job training
Take part in formal reviews to monitor progress and readiness

The programme provides structured support throughout the 11 months, with regular coaching and four formal reviews involving the apprentice, their line manager and Hawk Training coach.

What You Will Achieve

Received upon completion of the apprenticeship:

Level 3 Customer Service Specialist Apprenticeship Certificate
CMI First Line Manager Certificate
Level 2 Functional Skills in English and Maths (if required)

The CMI First Line Manager pathway includes:

Unit 336 – Managing Problems and Decision Making
Unit 335 – Contributing to the Management of a Project

Behaviours developed include:

Leadership and management
Problem solving and decision making
Project management
Customer service
Supporting others
Service improvement

Key Themes

Customer Service

Developing strong customer service skills
Managing customer interactions effectively
Handling complex customer queries
Developing approaches to improve service delivery
Building confidence in customer-facing situations
Applying learning directly within the workplace

Leadership & Management

Understanding approaches to managing and leading people and teams
Developing confidence when supporting others
Building practical first line management skills
Developing communication and leadership capability
Preparing for progression into management

Problem Solving & Project Management

Developing structured problem-solving skills
Making effective workplace decisions
Contributing to the management of a project
Applying learning to real workplace situations
Developing practical skills that can be applied immediately within the role

The Apprenticeship Journey

Learners will follow an 11-month programme combining three practical workshops, regular one-to-one coaching and four formal reviews. The workshops take place at months 3, 6 and 8, with each workshop mapped to a CMI unit. Regular one-to-one coaching supports learners throughout the programme, including portfolio evidence, off-the-job training and their wider development.

Four formal 12-week reviews bring together the apprentice, their line manager and Hawk Training coach to review progress and readiness throughout the programme.

End Point Assessment (EPA)

The final assessment for this apprenticeship includes three methods:

Work-Based Project and Interview: A project where the learner reflects and presents examples of their development throughout the apprenticeship. This may involve a challenge, such as managing a complaint or handling a difficult customer situation.
Professional Discussion: A semi-structured discussion between the apprentice and an independent assessor to assess the application of knowledge, skills, and behaviours.
Practical Observation: A 60-minute observation of the apprentice demonstrating their customer service skills in a real-world setting, followed by a 30-minute Q&A with the assessor to clarify their performance.

Interested in This Course?

Alternatively, you can send us an email at enquiries@hawktraining.com
or call us on +44 (0)20 8891 0992