SsangYong UK is in celebratory mood after a group of apprentice technicians completed the first module of its Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) approved apprenticeship programme.

Launched in April 2019, the course has been designed to maximise on-the-job training whilst minimising time away from the dealership and is run by the fully qualified, dedicated Emtec team at Nottingham College.

Every candidate receives comprehensive training on an expanding SsangYong range - which recently added the new Korando SUV - along with specialist tools, industry technologies, diagnostic equipment, IT systems and customer handling techniques.

Mark Burrows, aftersales director at SsangYong Motors UK, said “I am delighted to welcome our new apprentices to this great brand, and commencing the journey in developing our technicians of the future.”

Jon Rawson, head of operations at Emtec, said: “It’s great to see Emtec and Nottingham College’s relationship with SsangYong growing.

“We started working together just under two years ago, after an opportunity arose to provide a home for the adult training programme.

“The natural progression for that initial work was to collaborate and launch the apprenticeship programme to further support the SsangYong dealer network with developing new talent into their workforce, and what better way than to link the two programmes together so apprentices get to develop their knowledge and skills on the same vehicles that they work on back in the dealership.”

SsangYong’s apprenticeship programme is three years in duration and includes eight, one-week long modules per year, delivered at the SsangYong Academy in Nottingham.

As well as containing information on training and assessment, all apprenticeship standards must contain an End-Point Assessment where an independent organisation is involved – this ensures all apprentices following the same standard are assessed consistently.

Playing on the Tivoli brand strapline, apprentice Alex Gilbert, from Rodgers of Plymouth, said; “I am proud to be one of the first ever SsangYong apprentices and to be given the opportunity to work with this superb south Korean brand. I lov it…”

Jonathan Wheeler, an apprentice at Chandlers SsangYong in Reading, said: “I have really enjoyed the first module of the course and I am looking forward to more challenges and gaining more experience.

“I was a tyre fitter but saw my future with a car manufacturer. This opportunity was too good to pass up.”