AM Awards: Best training programme, Colin Appleyard Cars

Best training programme awards sponsored by RTS

Last year was a busy time for Colin Appleyard Cars with the business launching several training initiatives.

In August, it launched a continuous knowledge improvement scheme to ensure that all staff in the sales and service departments are always on top of the latest developments in products, techniques, procedures and regulations.

To achieve this, staff attend manufacturer training courses and in-house knowledge assessments.

Prior to this, in June, the Colin Appleyard vocational development programme was launched.

The venture offers development opportunities for staff. It was designed to build a workforce with the skills and qualities needed for a successful 21st century business.

For those embarking on a career in car or motorcycle sales, Colin Appleyard’s sales training scheme provides a mix of vocational experience with classroom learning, leading to a recognised qualification.

“Staff are given opportunities to measure their progress against agreed targets”

The company believes this provides a firm foundation on which up-and-coming sales executives can build their careers.
Colin Appleyard also introduced a leadership coaching scheme for managers who already had a sound track record working in one of its dealerships.

The initiative teaches people the skills to lead a team and get the best out of their staff, delivered via half-day modules, action plans and telephone mentoring.

To help implement the schemes, Colin Appleyard Cars teamed up with The Blue Water Partnership and Yorkshire Sales and Marketing Developments who both run accredited training programmes.

It means staff are supported by experienced trainers and given opportunities to measure their progress against agreed targets.

The company put together the scheme after consulting with Blue Water Partnership and the Institute of the Motor Industry.
Existing managers were assessed to find out if they had been given adequate training.

Recognising the difficulty in recruiting employees with the ability and ambition to move into management, the company assessed staff to find those with potential to be successful
executives. It developed their skills through its own training
programme.

So far, 54 of Colin Appleyard’s 126 employees have attended 170 training courses this year. Colin Appleyard Cars employs 126 people.

Highly commended