Trading Standards Officer

Trading Standards Officers enforce the law and regulations that govern goods and services which we all buy, hire or sell. The Trading Standards Service is delivered by local government (the Department of Enterprise in Northern Ireland) and includes advice services for business and consumers. Officers ensure a safe and fair trading environment for consumers and businesses alike. Trained to be expert in their fields, they work in such areas as testing and verifying the accuracy of weighing or measuring equipment, checking that the claims made about products are accurate by ensuring that information on labels is correct and that advertisements are not misleading, making routine visits to premises, carrying out undercover operations to discover fraud and illegal trade practices, giving personal assistance to consumers when there are problems with goods they have bought, taking samples for laboratory analysis, and prosecuting offenders in court for breaches of consumer law.

Other tasks include checking the legality of imports, identifying potential hazards or unsafe products, and improving consumer awareness by developing local educational and public relations programmes.

Entry level
There are both graduate and non-graduate entry routes to become a trading standards officer. The graduate route involves taking one of the specific degrees in this area from an approved university. For this, you would usually need two A levels/three H grades and five GCSEs/S grades (A-C/1-3) in English language, maths and a science, or the equivalent. You can approach local authorities to apply for sponsorship prior to starting a degree and, on successful completion, you will be well placed to gain a job as a graduate trainee trading standards officer, enabling you to gain practical experience and put your knowledge and skills to good use whilst preparing for full qualification.

The non-graduate route involves joining a trading standards authority as an enforcement officer, or consumer adviser, and participating in the Accreditation of Prior Experience and Learning Scheme. This is structured for you to demonstrate the equivalent knowledge and skills required from the graduate entry.

Making the grade
To become a qualified trading standards officer, you would need the Diploma in Trading Standards (DTS). On the graduate route, once you have successfully completed your degree, you can apply to a local authority for a post as trainee trading standards officer, and you would undertake a further period of training and study leading to the DTS.

On the non-graduate route, your on-the-job training would be structured, demanding and closely monitored. You would be given simple cases to start with, before moving on to more complex or specialist cases.

For all entrants, a programme of continuing professional development would be arranged by the local authority to enable you to continue updating your knowledge and skills.

There is a clear promotion structure, and you could advance from senior officer to section head, divisional officer, and then to principal or chief trading standards officer. You might need to relocate to develop your career, as departments tend to be small.

Personal qualities
You would need to be convinced that trading and consumer laws are important and need to be enforced, a good communicator, including being a sympathetic listener, interested in helping people and a person who enjoys responsibility and challenge.

You must be calm, controlled and level-headed, a problem solver and initiative taker, and a person who enjoys using science, technology and statistics in a practical way. Good powers of observation would be essential.

Looking ahead
There are about 1,500 qualified trading standards officers in the UK in larger local authorities. There is a shortage of qualified staff, although finding a training place can be very difficult.

You could also also move into the private sector as a consultant, running your own business or working with large companies who need advice on trading standards issues as part of their risk strategy.

Alternative suggestions
Other possibilities might include environmental health officer, health and safety officer, local government administrator or police officer

Take-home pay
As a trainee trading standards officer, you are likely to earn £15,000 to £17,000, rising to £21,000 to £23,000 when qualified. With annual increments, you should eventually be at the top of a scale currently ranging from £25,000 to £27,000. A senior officer would normally earn £26,000 to £29,000, rising to £29,000 to £32,000. Salaries vary from authority to authority.

Effects
Trading standards officers usually work 37 hours a week, although some unsociable working hours may be necessary. This is due to longer trading hours for licensed premises, such as pubs and clubs, and retail activities operating seven days a week.

Sources of information
Local Government Careers: www.lgcareers.com
Trading Standards Central: www.tradingstandards.gov.uk
Trading Standards Careers: www.tscareers.org.uk
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment in Northern Ireland: www.detini.gov.uk

CRCI: SC