Programme details

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This is a 3-year Degree Apprenticeship that combines practical experience with academic learning.

You’ll complete a BSc (Hons) in Applied Retail and Commercial Banking via the University of Exeter.  

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Who you are

You’re naturally curious, love solving problems, and want to make a real impact. Whether it’s improving how things work for our customers or enabling people to work better together, you thrive when you’re finding smart solutions.  

You don’t need to be a business expert yet – we’ll give you the tools and training. What matters is that you’re open-minded, solutions focused and have a passion for customer service.  

This is a customer centric business which is focused on people and constantly evolving. So, you’ll need a flexible mindset to be able to deliver exceptional service in an ever-changing environment.  

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You could be a great fit if you’re:  

• A team player: You enjoy working with different people, asking questions, and getting to the heart of what needs to change.
• Clear and confident: You can communicate complex ideas simply, whether you’re writing it down or presenting it in a meeting.
• Proactive and solutions-orientated: You don’t wait to be told what to do. You spot problems early and bring forward ideas that add value.
• Always learning: You’re curious about how things work and are excited by new tools, methods and perspectives.
• A natural analyst: You enjoy breaking big problems into smaller parts and using logic, data, and creativity to solve them.  

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What you’ll do

From day one, you’ll work with teams that help HSBC, and its customers operate smarter, faster, and better.  

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Here’s a taste of what you will get involved in:  

• Our customer is our number one priority, and you will support teams focused on enhancing customer journeys and our digital banking capabilities.  
• You could spend time working with our Products & Propositions teams ensuring the bank has the most appropriate product range and delivering high-quality customer service, developing marketing campaigns, and managing complaints.  
• You’ll help turn complex information into clear recommendations and present your ideas to senior leaders and decision-makers.
• You are driven by data and will use insights to identify trends and kickstart solutions based on your findings.  

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What you’ll learn

We’ll kick things off with structured training to get you up to speed. From there, you’ll have a mix of hands-on learning, mentoring, and skills coaching to help you thrive. The first few months will be about settling into HSBC, and your first placement. Your apprenticeship qualification will begin in January.  

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You’ll undertake four placements, aligned to HSBC UK’s strategic priorities:

Placements 1 - 2

• Customer Support/Customer Immersion: Understand who our customers are, how we serve them, and the end-to-end customer journey through key channels, products, and propositions.

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Placements 3 - 4

• Leadership: Learn how to lead and inspire a team. Focus on people leadership in one of our branches, or contact centres, across our HSBC, first direct or M&S Bank brands. Gain hands on leadership experience, managing a team of people and being responsible for their performance and development.
• Risk Management: Develop an understanding of risk management. You’ll gain a deep understanding of the relevant Financial Services legal, and regulatory, framework and ethics, and the purpose behind them.
• Product/Project Management: Take ownership for product or project management. Focus on change, projects and initiatives that run across our retail banking business.

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By the end of your Degree Apprenticeship programme, you’ll have a clear understanding of the retail bank and be set up for a career in a customer-centric environment.

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Eligibility criteria

1. Available to work full time from October 2026 onwards
2. A minimum of BCC across your top 3 A-levels (or equivalent)
3. 5 GCSEs at grade 4/c or above, including Maths and English
4. Fluent in English

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Please note, all candidates will be invited to complete an assessment unless you declare you do not meet the criteria, and had no mitigating circumstances. If you have equivalent qualifications, we’ll need to check these with our training provider after your assessment to make sure they meet the required criteria.

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