Nissan’s Sunderland plant has been named the top trainer in the UK automotive industry in a national independent survey.
Every two years, the Sector Skills Council for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies (Semta) carries out a nationwide survey of more than 850 engineering and manufacturing companies.
A league table is produced ranking each company according to its commitment to training and staff development. Nissan Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd (NMUK) was placed in the top 10 of all companies surveyed and in first position within the automotive sector.
NMUK pumps nearly four per cent of its annual payroll into training, compared with the national average of just one per cent. This works out at around £6.5 million pounds, or £1,400 per employee.
Also, the plant’s employees receive an average of eight days off-the-job training a year compared to the national figure of just over two days.
NMUK Training Manager, Steve Pallas, said ‘The success we have as a car plant is inseparably linked to our policy on training. The amount of resources we invest in staff development is a measure of the importance we believe it plays in how our company performs.’
Head of Research and Standards at Semta, Bill Twigg, added ‘Nissan’s success is a benchmark for others to follow. It shows what can be achieved when you invest time and money in your workforce.’
