The Vella Group has always committed to ensuring the industry competes for staff from other sectors, raising the profile of repairers as progressive, competent and polished.
In two years the Group has taken 21 apprentices for the Level 3 Accident Repair Technician Standard.
Vella Group worked with AutoRaise to find a quality training partner providing:
- training facilities
- good locations
- programmes meeting Vella Group’s needs
- professionalism
- pastoral care for apprentices on block release.
The Group chose Blackpool and the Fylde College. Vella Group Managing Director Marc Holding says: “AutoRaise helped us run Industry Showcase Events at our Preston, Workington and Chester sites. Otherwise we’d have needed a lengthy, costly recruitment campaign to fill 14 vacancies.”
AutoRaise provided advice around recruitment and retaining apprentices. Helen Driscoll, Head of HR at Vella Group, says: “We invest heavily in our apprentices – they are the future of our industry and the business. We offer excellent earning potential above national minimum wage, and annual apprentice salary increases.”
Each apprentice is assigned a mentor to provide confidential guidance and support, and a trainer and line manager.
One-to-one meetings occur with line managers and HR to ensure necessary support for the apprentice and mentor, guided by AutoRaise insight.
Marc Holding, Managing Director, Vella Group
