Continental Tyres is building on last year’s successful apprenticeship programme launch by seeking applicants to join the scheme throughout 2022.
Open to individuals of all ages and with no prior experience required, Continental’s full-time Tyre Technician apprenticeship is delivered by Continental subsidiary Tyre Maintenance (TM) at its sites in Leeds, Washington, Nottingham, Luton, and Lutterworth. The two-year programme includes online learning provided by the ContiAcademy and strategic partner Oxford Applied Training. Recruits are paid the national living wage for the duration of their apprenticeship – a practice that is not standard across schemes nationally.
Modules include car and van tyre fitting, truck tyre maintenance and customer service. Apprentices are also heavily involved in the day-to-day delivery of TM’s exceptional service from the outset.
“The tyre fitting industry is crying out for a much-needed injection of enthusiastic talent to help secure the future of the profession,” comments Julian Stretton, Operations Manager at TM. “Continental’s Tyre Technician apprenticeship is providing a practical and rewarding opportunity for people to take their first steps towards securing a fruitful career in the automotive sector. Though our apprentices are typically in their late teens or early 20s, age is no barrier to success. We’re keen to hear from anyone with an enthusiasm to learn and a desire to be the best.”
TM currently supports nine apprentices across three of their sites, with each a few months into their training. Apprentice Dylan Cook explains: “I chose an apprenticeship because I felt like it was the best way to learn the trade and I’m able to get paid while I train. My colleagues have really helped me to fit in and I feel like a part of the team.”
“The apprenticeship is challenging, with different problems to solve daily,” Michael Yule adds. “I’m hoping to be able to finish my training and get a full-time job at TM.”
Elsewhere, Continental is continuing to grow its ‘ContiAcademy’ customer training centre following exceptional demand throughout 2021. The Leicestershire-based Academy is benefiting from a larger and newly refurbished classroom and additional breakout room to accommodate larger groups.
Last year saw the ContiAcademy team deliver more than 100 training sessions through a combination of on-site, virtual and hybrid delivery methods. Courses range from fitting and maintenance to tyre life management, health and safety and wheel security. To help meet any specific customer needs, the ContiAcadamy can also design and deliver bespoke training courses that cover a broad range of applications. The academy caters for a wide range of companies, including tyre fitters, fleet operators and the Health & Safety Executive.
“We continuously review our training programmes and look to the industry to identify new courses that could be of benefit to customers,” concludes Gwyn Fennell, Technical Service and Training Manager at Continental. “The past year has also shown us that there is a desire for hybrid and virtual classroom training to remain available, as it provides a considerable time-based cost saving for many of our clients.”
