A brand new Advanced Apprenticeship programme for Aston Martin, Jaguar and Land Rover technicians has attracted more than 2,500 applications for 150 places, just through the website alone.
More than 150 young people aged 16-18, selected from over 2,500 applications, have embarked on the new in-house Advanced Apprenticeship Programme for the Premier Automotive Group's Aston Martin, Jaguar and Land Rover brands. It also marks a new partnership with the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI), which has been appointed the qualifications awarding body for the scheme.
As part of their three-year programme, the apprentices will undertake two-week blocks of training, four times per year, at one of three locations: Gaydon; Castle Bromwich; or Halewood, dependent on their chosen specialism. This is extended to five weeks in the final year, leading to an IMI diploma in vehicle maintenance and repair, parts operations, customer service or body repair and paint refinishing and the NVQ level 3, upon completion of the apprenticeship.
Having undertaken the "Dipped in Green" and "Green Blood" induction for Land Rover and Jaguar respectively, apprentices with Aston Martin, Jaguar and Land Rover also have an opportunity to visit the Amazon or Kenya, as part of a week-long environmentally focused community project expedition, for the top achievers.
Christopher Newton, Apprenticeship Operations Manager, said he expected the scheme to achieve a 95% retention rate.
"We hope to increase our offer to the dealer network with the addition of the IMI certificates in vehicle sales and automotive retail management during next year," he added. "This will allow us to offer bespoke training programmes for most career paths within the dealer network, giving a real boost to the competency levels in our industry."