The purpose-built facility will be used as the Volkswagen Group's Apprentice Training Centre, employing state-of-the-art resources to train and develop new technicians and staff.

Carter & Carter

Apart from being the UK's leading provider of government-funded apprenticeship learning and adult technical training to the automotive industry, Carter & Carter operates across the manufacturing, engineering, construction and automotive sectors. It has achieved significant growth over the last twelve months, particularly as a result of the acquisition of Assa Training & Learning and Fern Training & Development.

Around 1,000 Volkswagen Group apprentices will be trained each year by the Apprentice Learning Division of the Carter & Carter Group. They will follow a three-year Advanced Apprenticeship Programme specific to each of the Volkswagen Group brands: Volkswagen, Audi, Å koda, SEAT and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. The programmes, in turn, comprise individual courses in different disciplines to provide specific training for service, parts and body and paint technicians.

The Group programme is one of the largest government-funded Advanced Apprenticeship Programmes in the UK. Furthermore, Carter & Carter recently won the New Company of the Year Award category in the national PLC Awards 2005, a clear of recognition of the company's achievements as well as acknowledgement that it is poised for further growth.

Latest Technology

The new 30,000 sq ft two storey building has six large workshops and eight seminar rooms, each equipped with the most up-to-date technology and latest brand specific vehicles and equipment. The building is also home to the new head office of the Carter & Carter Group, with a suite of offices plus board room and meeting rooms on the first floor. Other Carter & Carter training facilities are situated adjacent to the new building.

Richard Welch, Group Technical Training Manager for the Volkswagen Group, said: "We are delighted to add this new facility to our current training portfolio. It gives us additional scope for training new apprentices who in turn become our future technical and workshop experts. Having highly skilled staff means we can ensure the Volkswagen Group delivers the highest quality standards to its customers."

Phillip Carter, chief executive of Carter & Carter Group, said: "An apprenticeship is an attractive alternative to university education, offering young people excellent career prospects and remuneration packages. Young people, both male and female from various cultural backgrounds, will undertake classroom and workshop based learning with us at the new facility. Combined with e- and distance learning plus supervised assessment and training in the workplace, we deliver a blended learning experience that is brand specific and therefore perfectly suited to the needs of the Volkswagen Group."

He continues: "The opening of this new centre marks an important expansion of a national network of high quality training facilities operated by Carter & Carter and is a clear demonstration of what can be achieved through partnerships between private providers, employers and the Learning and Skills Council (LSC)."

Sudakshina Mukherjee

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