Stoneacre Motor Group has boosted its Stoneacre Academy offering for apprentices and staff development with the creation of a new Technical Training Facility at its Goole FordStore.

The Thorne-based franchised car retail group founded its AM Awards-winning academy five years ago but had so far been unable to provide off site, hands-on technical training for technicians as the Academy was unable to provide the height requirement for the vehicle ramps.

This week the group’s leadership team said in a statement that it was “delighted to confirm that we have invested further in the Stoneacre Academy by providing these needed technical facilities at our Ford Store in Goole”.

The new facilities include a vehicle workshop environment with ramps, relevant technical tooling and classroom environment break-out areas.

A statement issued by the group said that Stoneacre Motor Group managing director, Shaun Foweather, wants every new employee to “earn the right to work for Stoneacre”, adding that recruitment days and ongoing training take our new employees out of their comfort zone and are “perhaps the most difficult part of their employment with us”.

Once through the training, Stoneacre aims to stick to its “Careers for Life” recruitment slogan, however.

Foweather said: “Our ongoing succession plan ensures that senior positions are filled from within the business, we never stop any individual from taking the next step in their career, and this means that there is always someone else trained to take the next vacant position in the group.”

He added: “We decided to invest in the Stoneacre Academy five years ago in order to ensure we were able to recruit and train new talent to become our Stoneacre ambassadors of the future.

“The initial year we employed 60 apprentices which has risen to circa 200 this year.

“We have retained 98% of our new trainees and 92% of all trainees since we commenced.

“We involve the apprentice’s family and give them a graduation day attended by family, managers, training staff and directors.”

Stoneacre Motor Group currently 16th position in the Automotive Management top 100 for revenue employs a team of circa 2,500 and represents 22 franchises in 92 locations at 47 branches as well as 2 Harley Davidson and 1 Triumph franchise in 10 Counties and Clwyd North Wales.

The group has more than doubled its revenues over the past four years, increasing from £395m in 2014 to in excess of £800 million in 2018.

The most recent acquisition was the Kia, Renault, Dacia, Fiat and Abarth multi centre in Stafford, formally part of the Platts Motor Group.

Stoneacre remain acquisitive, however, and would discuss any franchise opportunity with either dealer groups, owner drivers, stakeholders, existing or potential franchise partners.

Franchise and development director, Philip Wade said that he would welcome contact from any interested car retailer, via 07767 331332 or philip.wade@stoneacre.co.uk.