Bentley has announced a number of upskilling initiatives to strengthen the skills of current employees and provide a pool of fresh manufacturing talent. The initiatives will see increased investment in training facilities and the largest intake of apprentices that Bentley has seen in a decade.
In September, 51 new apprentices will join Bentley’s facility in Crewe, 40 of which are part of a new dedicated manufacturing scheme, which focuses on strengthening core skills. The manufacturer’s new approach to apprenticeships sees practical and theoretical training suited to each individual’s competencies.
Ten unique training islands will be introduced, to provide ‘near the job’ training, which will be delivered by a number of expert training mentors and master trainers.
Bentley will also help bring a University Technical College to Crewe in 2016, ensuring that it has a secure pipeline of talent for years to come.
Dr Ariane Reinhart, Bentley’s member of the board for Human Resources, said, “The automotive industry moves at such a fast pace it’s vital that we not only bring fresh thinking into the business, but we continually develop our own talent. We are working on the next generation of Bentleys and it’s important that our colleagues share the same commitment to performance, quality, and engineering excellence that our cars possess.
“That’s exactly why we are investing in our new upskilling programme, to ensure we help our colleagues be as good as they can be, with every opportunity to develop their skills.”
UK automotive manufacturers took on more than 1,500 apprentices last year. To read more about the industry’s skills performance, see SMMT’s 2014 Sustainability Report.
