News & Resources

Vauxhall supports National Apprenticeship Week

27 Feb 2014

National Apprenticeship Week is in its seventh year and it is the time for businesses, colleges and young people to come together to raise the profile of apprenticeships.

Vauxhall Luton Plant will be hosting an Apprenticeship Careers Event from Monday 3 March to Friday 7 March 2014 as part of National Apprenticeship Week for School years 10, 11 and sixth form. Vauxhall’s Head office in Osborne Road, Luton will also be hosting a series of CV and interview workshops which local school students have been invited to attend, as well as Vauxhall’s own apprentices going out to schools to host careers fairs and presentations to inspire the next generation of apprentices.

The event will be for young people who are thinking of taking the apprenticeship route. The day will be broken up into two sessions where students will be given a tour of the plant. They will then take part in a workshop and listen to talks from current apprentices working at Vauxhall. Bedford College will be on hand to answer questions and give students information regarding learning while working. Dick Burgoine, Vauxhall Manager for Product Evaluation and Service Support, said, “Many young people are confused when it comes to choosing a path when they leave school. This event will give them a good idea of what to expect should they choose the apprenticeship route. Most apprenticeships take between two and four years to complete, following which they can go on to enjoy a prosperous and fulfilling career.”

Zoe Peacock, 3rd Year Commercial Apprentice, said, “I completed 3 A Levels at Sandy Upper School, Bedfordshire and whilst there the primary focus after this was university. I realised that I was unsure of my future career path and therefore university wasn’t the right path for me. I started looking for apprenticeships on the National Apprenticeship website, when I came across Vauxhall.

“What attracted me most was the opportunity to rotate across business functions in a nationally recognized company. I have experienced Fleet Marketing, Human Resources and now Public Relations. Whilst undertaking proper job roles at work I am working towards Higher Education at Bedford College, which allows me to apply this theory to the real working world. The Vauxhall apprenticeship has strengthened my skills, developed my knowledge, all while being a valuable member of the workforce, earning a salary and making friends for life.”

Vauxhall Motors has successfully entered a team into the Brathay Challenge 2014. The Brathay Challenge is designed to discover the ‘Apprentice Team of the Year’ through a set of challenges including raising the profile of apprenticeships, contributing to local community projects and fundraising. The team, consisting of commercial and engineering apprentices across all Vauxhall sites will be battling against approximately 90 teams to win the 2014 trophy.

Engineering, Motor Vehicle Technician, Commercial, IT and Accountancy apprenticeships are available for 2014 at Vauxhall. If this is something you may be interested in you can contact Bedford College on Tel: 01234 291080 – email: mpalmer@bedford.ac.uk.

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