With National Apprentice Week drawing to a close on 13 March, Pirelli celebrated the impact these young workers have had on its business. Each year Pirelli recruits apprentices to focus on various aspects of its business focussing on various areas of the business including mechanical, electrical and research and development. They are provided with all […]
Kwik-Fit is offering 200 apprenticeships at the company’s centres across the UK, providing opportunities for many school leavers to work close to home. Most of the two year apprenticeships are available to 16-18 year olds, providing a valuable first step on a career in the automotive sector. Kwik-Fit has trained more than 1,800 people under its current apprenticeship programme. Over the last 15 years the scheme has consistently seen higher success rates than the national average, with many participants progressing to senior levels within the company.
Motor industry professional body IMI has called on employers to consider increasing the starting salary for apprentices by more than 70 per cent to compete with academic career paths. Steve Nash, CEO of the Institute of the Motor Industry, will explain that return on investment research demonstrates that most companies could increase starting salaries from the legal minimum set by Government of £2.73 to £4.73 per hour without loss of profitability. The IMI has launched an “apprentice calculator” to help demonstrated its point to businesses.
The warning follows IMI sponsored research from the Industry Apprentice Council (IAC), which showed that 45 per cent of current industry apprentices had received poor or no advice and guidance on their career choice. Meanwhile, less than 10 per cent said a careers advisor or teacher had helped them find out about apprenticeships. There is currently no statutory requirement for young people to have access to face to face careers advice.
The Parts Alliance member, CES UK is supporting a classic car restoration scheme designed to give young people the skills to gain employment in the motor industry. Basetech Automotive Training Services in Liverpool uses Ferraris, Alfa Romeos and Jaguars, plus hot rods and motorbikes, to help inspire and engage teenagers aged 14 to 18. CES UK uses its network of contacts among independent garages to find suitable placements for students from. In the past two years its support has helped 159 young people into work, the company says.
Halfords Autocentres has called 2014 a “record year” for its automotive apprentice programme. 72 new apprentices joined the scheme this year, leading to Halfords’ claim that it is the largest programme in the UK automotive industry. The servicing chain crowned third year NVQ Floyd Ullah (19) from Scunthorpe the winner of its annual apprentice competition, noting that competition for the accolade is growing annually.
Callum Byrne, an apprentice with Chapel Motor Repair who studies at Peterborough Regional College, won the SkillAuto competition at the recent Skills Show. Tackling a series of vehicle repair tasks, including a component change and subsequent full four wheel alignment check, Byrne successfully completed the wheel alignment check, using the latest Hunter HawkEye Elite TD […]
After the Conservative Party joined Labour in pledging increased apprenticeship opportunities, the Institute of the Motor Industry has urged political parties to think carefully about how to improve such positions. Steve Nash, CEO of the IMI which represents the UK retail motor industry, is pleased to hear the latest political party promise about apprenticeships. But he’s concerned that the issue is just becoming one of the items on the list of ‘vote winner’ promises without, necessarily, addressing the challenge of how to attract young people to apprenticeships.
The IMI, which represents the UK retail motor industry, has welcomed a pledge from opposition leader Ed Miliband that a future Labour government would increase the numbers of apprentices.
Bridgestone is supplying National Tyres’ next generation of automotive apprentices with “tyre toolbags” for a second successive year. The manufacturer says it was keen to support the vocational offering by way of a branded holdall for each learner for another year, containing a wide range of equipment to assist in both the classroom and in-branch, after first hearing about National’s pioneering NVQ level 2 training courses in 2013.
Automotive Apprenticeship starts in England have seen their first increase since the end of 2010. The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) found a 4.2 per cent increase, up to 10,940 starters, in 2012/13 in their yearly benchmarking report. Apprenticeship start figures have been falling since 2009/10 in the face of economic recession, with a 14.8 per cent decrease recorded in 2011/12 according to figures from the Skill Funding Agency.
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