To mark National Apprentice Week and to support budding mechanics and engineers, Vauxhall has donated 15 VX 220 sports cars to universities and colleges across the country, reaching out as far as Scotland.
Barnfield College, next to Vauxhall’s headquarters in Luton and West Cheshire College, which is in the vicinity of Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port plant, are also benefiting from this opportunity to improve diagnostic and technical skills using a high performance vehicle. Both colleges provide academic support for Vauxhall’s apprenticeship programme.
This year, circa 150 apprentices will be hired across the company (including Vauxhall retailer operations) to take up training in manufacturing and engineering as well as commercial apprenticeship programmes.
Phil Millward, Vauxhall’s HR Director, who started his career 43 years ago as an engineering apprentice at the Ellesmere Port plant, said: “Apprenticeship programmes offer an attractive alternative to university study, as apprentices will receive valuable tuition at partner educational institutions whilst training on the job. They also receive much support from the team as well as an attractive compensation and benefits package and at the end of the cycle apprentices will have become a very valued addition to the team with thorough understanding of business critical areas. Whilst many apprentices stay within the business they will also be able to effectively contribute to other organisations within the industry building on their particular field of expertise.”
Apprenticeships at Vauxhall sites in Bedfordshire and Cheshire will start in September 2012.
