Volvo CE seek next generation of service engineers
Company seeking more apprentice service engineers as 2015 intake embark on four-year programme
EARLIER this year, Volvo Construction Equipment welcomed their new apprentice service engineers to the company during an official signing day and are now looking for more of the same to join in 2016.
Volvo’s 2015 apprentice engineers from across England, Scotland and Wales were all invited to the company’s Duxford headquarters, near Cambridge, in July along with their parents to find out more about the company, the college they will be attending and what they can expect as they embark on their apprenticeship and careers with Volvo.
HR director Marko Simic commented: ‘The official signing day is the day we seal the contract with the apprentices and their parents, as we have a shared interest in ensuring the successful completion of the apprenticeship.
‘People from various areas of the business give them an overview of the organization and they tour the Customer Support Centre, training centre and head office, but more importantly we share with them our values and expectations, so that they understand the Volvo way and can support their son or daughter to successfully complete the programme.’
The signing ceremony takes place with managing director Nick Allen, who commented: ‘The signing of the apprentice papers is symbolic of the commitment everyone is making to the apprenticeship. When I sign on behalf of Volvo, I am committing us to do all we can to support the apprentice throughout their training and to keep them safe in the process.
‘The apprentice signs to show their commitment to the learning and behaviours that will lead them to becoming a fully-fledged Volvo service engineer. Their parents’ signature demonstrates support for their sons’ and daughters’ training and future career with Volvo. It’s a real partnership.’
An apprenticeship with Volvo lasts four years and includes a mix of training at the National Construction College, work-based learning at the apprentices’ local Volvo CE Customer Support Centre, and Volvo-specific training at the company’s Technical Training Centre in Duxford.
All this began a few weeks after the signing day at an Outward Bound Trust centre in the Lake District, where the 10 apprentices spent a week team-building and honing their learning skills before starting at the National Construction College in October.
‘They only spent a week at Eskdale, but having introduced the programme on the Monday, I was delighted to see how they had grown in confidence and developed a fantastic team spirit which they demonstrated during the raft-building challenge on the last day,’ commented Marko Simic.
‘The two Volvo staff who spent the week with them to help embed the learning and relate it to the roles they would take up on completion of the apprenticeship were impressed by their hard work and commitment.’
The 2016 Volvo Service Engineer Apprentice Programme opens for applications in November. Visit the website for more information.
