Apprenticeships are a proven route to success in the motor industry
8 Feb 2011
In the last year over 11,000 young people have once again chosen to start an automotive apprenticeship. As the nation celebrates the important role that apprentices play in the economy those young people can be confident that they have chosen a great way to start their career.
National Apprenticeship Week takes place from Monday 7 February to Friday 11 February 2011. Organised by the National Apprenticeship Service this is the fourth year that learning providers, employers, apprentices and their families have come together to highlight the talents and skills of apprentices and celebrate their value to businesses across the country. In a Populus survey in 2009 82% of employers agreed that apprentices provide the skilled workers we need for the future.
As the Sector Skills Council for the retail motor industry the IMI (the Institute of the Motor Industry) partners with industry employers to identify the sector’s current and future skill needs. It promotes and facilitates solutions to increase the professional competence and career prospects of over 500,000 employees.
Matt Curtis, Team Manager of Derby College Motor Vehicle Academy and Fellow of the IMI is an example of the diverse opportunities available in the motor industry since he started his career as an apprentice at a small independent garage in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire. He can attribute much of this success to his determination throughout his career to consistently improve his professional knowledge and skills.
He completed his technical apprenticeship at a Vauxhall Dealership where he won the IMI Mechanics Cup for Nottinghamshire in 1990 before becoming a Customer Advisor for both Nissan and Peugeot. He then subsequently moved into the management side of the business as a service manager for a Peugeot franchise. He is now devoting his time to improving the skills of apprentices in the motor industry and leads a team of 17 teaching staff in a brand new state of the art building at the Derby College Motor Vehicle Academy.
Matt said: “The perception of a career as a technician in the motor industry is still seen by many as back street and unskilled however, for me, it has been a very rewarding and varied trade and I wouldn’t be where I am today without having started out as an apprentice. Although I started my career in a small independent garage, my career pathway demonstrates that there are a broad range of opportunities.
However, we are now also looking for a new breed of technician with skills to cope with the dramatic and frequent advances in automotive technology. Some cars have got over 20 onboard computers alone and we need good quality apprentices to be the skilled workforce of the future.”
Stirling Wood, Head of Skills Development at the Institute of the Motor Industry said: “The retail automotive industry is an attractive sector to work in which is open to all and has very clear career progression pathways. Apprenticeships continue to be a fantastic way to get into the industry and it is great to see the success that former apprentices have achieved.”
Click here to read case studies on real careers in the automotive industry.
Apprenticeships are a proven route to success in the motor industry
8 Feb 2011
In the last year over 11,000 young people have once again chosen to start an automotive apprenticeship. As the nation celebrates the important role that apprentices play in the economy those young people can be confident that they have chosen a great way to start their career.
National Apprenticeship Week takes place from Monday 7 February to Friday 11 February 2011. Organised by the National Apprenticeship Service this is the fourth year that learning providers, employers, apprentices and their families have come together to highlight the talents and skills of apprentices and celebrate their value to businesses across the country. In a Populus survey in 2009 82% of employers agreed that apprentices provide the skilled workers we need for the future.
As the Sector Skills Council for the retail motor industry the IMI (the Institute of the Motor Industry) partners with industry employers to identify the sector’s current and future skill needs. It promotes and facilitates solutions to increase the professional competence and career prospects of over 500,000 employees.
Matt Curtis, Team Manager of Derby College Motor Vehicle Academy and Fellow of the IMI is an example of the diverse opportunities available in the motor industry since he started his career as an apprentice at a small independent garage in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire. He can attribute much of this success to his determination throughout his career to consistently improve his professional knowledge and skills.
He completed his technical apprenticeship at a Vauxhall Dealership where he won the IMI Mechanics Cup for Nottinghamshire in 1990 before becoming a Customer Advisor for both Nissan and Peugeot. He then subsequently moved into the management side of the business as a service manager for a Peugeot franchise. He is now devoting his time to improving the skills of apprentices in the motor industry and leads a team of 17 teaching staff in a brand new state of the art building at the Derby College Motor Vehicle Academy.
Matt said: “The perception of a career as a technician in the motor industry is still seen by many as back street and unskilled however, for me, it has been a very rewarding and varied trade and I wouldn’t be where I am today without having started out as an apprentice. Although I started my career in a small independent garage, my career pathway demonstrates that there are a broad range of opportunities.
However, we are now also looking for a new breed of technician with skills to cope with the dramatic and frequent advances in automotive technology. Some cars have got over 20 onboard computers alone and we need good quality apprentices to be the skilled workforce of the future.”
Stirling Wood, Head of Skills Development at the Institute of the Motor Industry said: “The retail automotive industry is an attractive sector to work in which is open to all and has very clear career progression pathways. Apprenticeships continue to be a fantastic way to get into the industry and it is great to see the success that former apprentices have achieved.”
Click here to read case studies on real careers in the automotive industry.