Halfords Teams Up with EKC Group to Support Apprenticeships
Halfords Autocentre Branch in Maidstone
(Copyright Text and Images EKC, reproduced with kind permission)
Halfords Autocentre teams up with East Kent Colleges Group to
Support Apprenticeships
A leading automotive brand is continuing to invest in the future workforce
alongside East Kent Colleges Group (EKC Group) by taking on apprentices.
With Autocentres located across the UK, Halfords provides MOT testing, servicing
and a wide range of vehicle repairs.
Recognising the importance of developing industry talent, Halfords has taken on
11 apprentices since 2022 with EKC Training, which is an apprenticeship training
provider in Kent and part of EKC Group.
This year, the Halfords Autocentre branch in Maidstone has teamed up with EKC
Training to support Nathan Rowden (image 1) with his Level 3 Automotive Apprenticeship.
Combining practical, on-the-job learning with formal study, the 27-year-old
spends one day a week at EKC Training in Dover and gains hands-on experience
for the rest of the week at the Maidstone Halfords Autocentre.
“I decided to do an apprenticeship so that I could get the hands-on experience
doing the job, whilst also being taught all the theory and working towards a
qualification,” he said.
“It’s great to be able to put what I’m learning in the classroom into practice and
learn from everyone here who has years of experience.
“I was really excited to find out I would be doing my apprenticeship with Halfords.
I was keen to learn how to do everything by the book, because it’s very easy to
pick up bad habits in new jobs. Halfords is a well-known brand, and they do
everything properly so being able to learn everything step-by-step as I go along is
so helpful.”
Dean Cocks, (Image 2)Assistant Manager at the Halfords Autocentre in Maidstone, said
apprenticeships play a vital role in tackling skills shortages in the motor trade.
He said: “We decided to take on an apprentice because it’s a good way for us to
give our experience down to somebody.
“We struggle for technicians as it is in this trade so it’s nice to train someone in
house because you get them to how you want them. We also get to learn from
them based on what they’re learning at college, which is great, because the
industry is changing all the time.
“The apprentice gets real world experience – you can’t learn everything in
this trade in the classroom – it's impossible. You need to make mistakes and find
out how to rectify them.
“For us, it also takes a bit of stress off the technicians because you can give the
apprentice some of the lower-level jobs and then build them up slowly.”
He added, Nathan has come on leaps and bounds since joining the team about
eight months ago.
He said:
“Nathan has grown massively since joining us. He had next to zero
experience when he joined, he’s now doing all sorts of work, which is great
because he’s only been here eight months so he’s learning really quickly.”
It comes as EKC Group and EKC Training continue to run their 100 in 100
campaign. Over a 100-day period, the organisations are on a mission to secure
pledges from 100 employers in the county to take on an apprentice.
To be part of the campaign, or to find out more about recruiting an apprentice
with EKC Training and utilising its free Apprenticeship Recruitment Service, visit
ekctraining.ac.uk.
