One of the south’s largest privately-owned motoring groups, is proud to champion apprenticeships and provide a platform for them to build their careers in their chosen trade.

The Westover Group is backing a national campaign this week (4-8 March), which not only aims to celebrate the impact of apprenticeships on individuals, employers and the economy, but also aims to encourage people to choose an apprenticeship as a pathway to their dream career. Currently employing 21 vehicle technician apprentices and one service advisor apprentice, the Westover Group is helping them to learn new skills and gain hands-on experience and qualifications while they earn a wage.

As part of the National Apprenticeship Week, the firm is celebrating the success of its apprentices and is in the process of organising two recruitment events in April at locations in Salisbury and Bournemouth to attract further talent.

Within the last 12 months, six apprentices have completed the Westover Group apprenticeship scheme to become fully-qualified service technicians and have now joined the group’s 700-strong workforce.

Pete Walker is a former technical apprentice himself, joining the Westover Group in 2004 as a fully-qualified service technician, and is now part of the group’s operational board in the position of group operations director for service, parts and quality, overseeing a team of approximately 300.

Encouraging people to start their careers with the Westover Group, Pete says, “A fully-qualified recognised technician is a skilled trade with great security, and the only way to become this is through completing a recognised apprenticeship. The Westover Group provides work-based training alongside a dedicated mentor and a series of fully-funded courses, taking place at a manufacturer’s specialist training facility.

“An apprenticeship with the Westover Group provides people with a great opportunity to work within a supportive team while learning and developing important skills required for a successful career.”

Highlighting its commitment to training young people, the Westover Group is organising two free recruitment events with the aim of encouraging and inspiring further young people to choose a career in the motor industry.

These events will give attendees the opportunity to find out more about the Westover apprentice scheme, the vehicle brands the group represents, meet some of the senior management team and discuss details about the eight vehicle technician apprentice roles available within the group from summer 2019.

Sandra Hartnell, group HR manager said, “The purpose of these recruitment events is to tell people more about our apprenticeship opportunities and to start the exciting recruitment process, with the aim for successful candidates to start their roles this summer.”

The events will take place on Tuesday 2 April, from 5pm to 8pm, at the Westover Renault Fiat Dacia showroom on Churchfields Industrial Estate, Salisbury, and Thursday 4 April, from 5pm to 8pm, at the Westover Nissan showroom on Wallisdown Road, Bournemouth.