DAF Trucks addresses skills shortage with dedicated CV Show stand

DAF Trucks No1 in the British truck market, is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the founding of its industry-leading apprentice training programme - already the largest in the road transport industry - with a dedicated stand at the CV Show at Birmingham's NEC Show. The stand addresses the national skills shortage in the sector and is part of the Skills Centre display in Hall 10.

DAF will be seeking to attract still more would-be truck technicians to join the National Dealer Apprentice Programme it runs in conjunction with City of Bristol College, ReMIT (the training arm of the Retail Motor Industry Federation) and the DAF dealer network. This year it expects to recruit more than 100 young people to the programme and is even offering a prize of a model truck to anyone introducing an apprentice to the scheme at the show.

DAFs national programme was brought into existence to provide uniform training and development of apprentices. The mechanics of the future are the apprentices of today so it is essential that basic training meets all technical and skills development requirements.

The structure of the programme provides DAFs nationwide network of dealers with a centrally managed programme using a dedicated training establishment operating at the highest level.

Apprentice training and resulting qualifications conform to the latest government and industry standards with opportunities for apprentices to achieve qualification at the highest level possible.

Apprentices are enrolled onto the programme via ReMIT Training Co-ordinators. ReMIT acts as managing agent for the programme, having access to training grants and also payment of fees to Awarding Bodies and the College of Technology. Skills training is provided centrally for the dealer network by City of Bristol College which is recognised as a Heavy Goods Vehicle specialist college. Apprentices attend the college in blocks of two weeks at a time with the group made up entirely of DAF Truck apprentices. There are a total of 28 weeks spent at the college over three years.

The training college is fully supported by DAF Trucks which provides vehicles, diagnostic equipment and components to promote the DAF brand within the training delivered.
Dealers are charged a standard fee per apprentice enrolled on the programme irrespective of dealer location nationally. This covers college charges, travel costs, accommodation costs, registration and examination fees payable to awarding bodies. There are no additional charges for the apprentices.

At the end of each academic year City of Bristol College nominates 10 apprentices from each attending year to participate in a competition to find the best performing Apprentice of the Year. Significant prizes are available for the top performers.
Graduates are presented with their NVQ Level 3 Certificate in Heavy Motor Vehicle Engineering at the end of their 3rd year, as well as a BTEC National Certificatate. In addition each graduate receives a DAF personal award.

Since the introduction of the programme in 1995 over 300 apprentices have graduated through the scheme. This figure will increase considerably over the new few years due to the intake of new apprentices over the last two years (62 in 2003, 82 in 2004 and 100 plus in 2005).

Stuart Hunt, Managing Director of DAF Trucks, said: Helping our dealers to provide the right levels of service support is critical to our future success and at a time of an increasing skills shortage across our industry, I am delighted that we can do something about that. I'm proud that we have a second DAF stand at the CV Show this year - not to sell trucks but to attract recruits to our dealer network and its training programme.

We're working with ReMIT and our long-term colleagues at City of Bristol College to recruit and train still more skilled technicians. Although we already have the largest such apprentice training programme in the industry we need still more people to ensure our customers receive the best possible care for their trucks both now and in the future." said Mr Hunt.