Retail Motor Industry Training (ReMIT) has further strengthened its long term relationship with Ford Motor Company, as their preferred training partner in the delivery of its Ford Masters Apprentice Programme, with the launch of a new agreement.

The agreement, which will come into effect from April, will see apprentice training extend beyond Ford's training college in Daventry and the ReMIT centre of technical excellence in Croydon, to a new 18,000 square foot facility in Leeds, to be opened by ReMIT in May 2006. Further centres will open later this year in Bristol and Scotland bringing the total of regional centres operated by ReMIT to five.

ReMIT has worked with Ford since 1997, supporting its dealers in recruiting and training apprentices across a wide range of technical and non-technical training programmes. The number of young people on the programme has grown during that period to over 1,200 in 2005.

"We have worked closely with Ford management, staff and the dealer organisation to develop the programme and to provide a continuing supply of quality, well trained technicians to meet the ongoing demands of supporting the brand through an excellent after sales service to Ford customers," said Stephen Ramsay, ReMIT managing director.

"The introduction of three new training centres allows us to extend a fully branded training environment for our manufacturer partner. ReMIT's approach in providing regional centres of technical excellence, supported by a limited number of carefully selected local colleges, provides the flexibility, quality and cost efficiency so important to today's Ford dealer."