After last year’s successful drive, Continental Tyres is building upon last year’s process by requesting applicants of all ages and no prior experience to apply for the scheme throughout 2022.
Continental’s Full-Time Tyre Technician Apprenticeship to be Delivered by Continental Subsidiary, Tyre Maintenance at Various Locations
The apprenticeship training with Tyre Maintenance will be taking place in Leeds, Luton, Lutterworth, Nottingham and Washington. The programme, which spans two years, includes online learning provided by the ContiAcademy and strategic partner, Oxford Applied Training. Recruits will also be paid the national living wage for the duration of their apprenticeship, which is not a standard practice across schemes nationally.
Modules to Include Van Tyre Fitting, Truck Tyre Maintenance and Customer Service
Julian Stretton, Operations Manager at Tyre Maintenance, “The tyre fitting industry is crying out for a much-needed injection of enthusiastic talent to help secure the future of the profession. Continental’s Tyre Technician apprenticeship provides a practical, rewarding opportunity for people to take their first steps towards securing a fruitful career in the automotive sector.”
Adding that the medium age for the apprenticeship tends to be adults in their late teens or early 20s, he explained that age doesn’t matter with the programme. Instead, “we’re keen to hear from anyone with enthusiasm to learn and a desire to be the best,” with Tyre Maintenance currently supporting nine apprentices of varying ages across three of their sites.
Apprentice, Dylan Cook, said: “I chose an apprenticeship because I felt like it was the best way to learn the trade. I’m able to get paid while I train and my colleagues have really helped me to fit in, so I feel like a part of the team.”
“The apprenticeship is challenging, with different problems to solve daily,” Michael Yule added. “I’m hoping to be able to finish my training and get a full-time job at Tyre Maintenance.”
As well as the apprenticeships, Continental is expanding its office-based programme, following the recruitment of its first apprentice into the Learning and Development department. The tyre manufacturer is working to identify new roles within the business, all of which will be open to new starters and existing Continental employees.
For Continental’s leading retreading plant, Bandvulc, although not running an apprenticeship programme this year, has run a popular engineering apprenticeship scheme for several years. Trainees at the Ivybridge site learn a range of mechanical and electrical disciplines and can even get involved with Bandvulc’s cutting-edge robotics projects. After graduating from their apprenticeship, many team members continue their relationship with Bandvulc as permanent employees.
