Community College Bishops Castle & VW - 2pm

Hi,

We are a secondary school who offer a BTEC Technical Award in Engineering. With us today we will have a class of 15 students in Year 10. As part of the course students need to investigate different sized organisations from different engineering sectors building up case studies on a number of organisations. Our students will have some questions related to this and may enquire about whether you work alongside other small to medium organisations.

Mr McMahon

Please could you give us a short introduction discussing your job role and the department you work within.

VW are coming online shortly

Hi all,

Apologies for the delay getting online.

My name is Rhys & I have been working with Volkswagen Group for the past 3 years, recruiting apprentices for their retailer network, predominantly Volkswagen, Audi, SEAT, Skoda & Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.
The roles covered range from technical/engineering focussed, to customer service and logistics based.

Could you tell us about what type of roles the apprentices go into and the type of work they would carry out within their job role

Further to the above, we also have a range of vehicle accident repair centre's who have been accredited with a Manufacturer Approval due to the quality of the facilities and consistent high standards provided within their work. Apprentice opportunities are available within the Volkswagen Group Paint & Body network for aspiring Paint Technicians, Body Repair Technicians and Mechanical, Electrical and Trim Technicians

We are interested in the R&D, designing and manufacturing sides of Volkswagen. Could you tell us where these activities take place and whether they take place at a single site.

Dealerships typically recruit for;
Apprentice Service Technicians (mechanics), 3 year apprenticeship
Apprentice Service Advisors (customer service based role with technical training as it is for returning customers bringing vehicles back for servicing), 2 year apprenticeship
Apprentice Parts Advisors (managing stock, working with all departments of the dealership & advising technicians on what will be need for upcoming jobs), 2 year apprenticeship
Apprentice MET Technician (Removing and refitting any faulty mechanical, electrical & trim components to a damaged vehicle. Testing and reprogramming where necessary), 2 year apprenticeship
Apprentice Paint Tech (respraying of vehicles, matching paint and assisting colleagues with other repairs) 3 year apprenticeship
Apprentice Body Technician (Structural and cosmetic repairs of vehicles, welding & panel beating), 3 year apprenticeship

We do not have any manufacturing locations based in the UK unfortunately, as this all takes place in Germany, Spain & Czech Republic

What percentage of apprentices continue to be employed after their apprenticeship?
What would an apprentice usually earn?
What would be an average starting salary once qualified?

We have an average retention rate of 86% for graduating apprentices, with annual intakes being over 450 learners.
Wages vary due to each dealership being part of a franchise. We advise candidates of the relevant minimum wages, however this is discussed on a one to one basis between candidate & employer.

What qualifications and attributes would you look for in potential apprentices?

We require a minimum of a C/4 grade GCSE in English Maths & Science, or equivalent qualification.
Passion is what we look for the most as employers want to know they are investing in an individual for the right reasons. If candidates have completed work experience or have been working somewhere relevant to their application, or have a hobby based around this, we do emphasise as much as possible

Our lesson has now ended, Thank you for your time today