Aston Barclay continues to nurture new talent by investing in apprenticeships
- Latest apprentice joins the Group in accounting and finance at Chelmsford
- Aston Barclay has operated apprenticeship and auctioneering schemes for 3 years
- Vehicle remarketing group recognises the importance of bringing new talent into the industry
Aston Barclay has recruited its latest apprentice as part of its drive to bring new talent into the remarketing industry and develop the industry leaders of tomorrow.
Apprentice Liam Draper has recently joined the accounts and finance team at Aston Barclay’s main Chelmsford site, working in a wider Group role where he’ll learn a wide variety of accountancy and financial skills, working towards his Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) qualification, whilst gaining vital insight into the remarketing sector.
Alongside the continual and successful investment in auction centres, IT infrastructure and transport and logistics, the vehicle remarketing group recognises the importance of introducing new talent into the remarketing sector. As a result, Aston Barclay has now emerged as one of the leading apprenticeship and training providers in the auction industry.
Aston Barclay has a long and successful history of recruiting apprentices – many of which remain with Aston Barclay as full-time employees – to various Group roles in the last three years, educating them through their tailored in-house apprenticeship, national qualifications and auctioneering courses.
The flexibility of Aston Barclay’s apprenticeship programme has allowed apprentices to combine on-the-job training with business and administration qualifications in a number of roles, with increasing number of new apprentices favouring this route to the traditional academic path.
The Group’s first apprentice, Andrew Munt, started in 2013 and subsequently undertook National Vocational Qualifications in Business Admin, Management and Supervision and Leadership. He is now a fully-fledged auctioneer, conducting sales for some of the UK’s leading automotive companies.
Trainee auctioneer Thomas Clarke has also worked towards NVQs in Business Management and Administration at Chelmsford alongside fellow apprentice Hayley Pickard, while Westbury-based apprentices Sam Bryers and Courtney Crawford are also currently studying for their NVQ Level 3 Business Administration qualifications.
Such is the appeal of Aston Barclay’s approach towards training and personal development schemes as a gateway into the automotive industry, it has have attracted apprentices and full-time employees from a diverse range of backgrounds.
Aston Barclay Westbury Assistant Centre Manager, Danny Davis, served in the British Army for over 22 years prior to joining Aston Barclay’s Chelmsford centre in 2011, where he combined his role as an office assistant with his Level 5 Business Management and Leadership NVQ. Taking a different approach to Aston Barclay’s apprentices, Danny received extensive on-the-job training, allowing him to apply his previous military experience to rapidly progress and develop into his current role.
“The depth of Aston Barclay’s apprenticeship and training schemes allows for a fully-immersive introduction into the automotive industry. The variety of roles and skills that you can develop, both during off and on-job training, is unrivalled, making the auction environment an attractive proposition for apprentices, regardless of your background and experience,” comments Davis.
Commercial Director David Scarborough added: “It is vital for the future of our company and industry that we source and nurture the best talent. The remarketing industry is not one which is widely seen as a career option and often overlooked by many young people, yet through our apprenticeship and training programmes, we have showcased just what an exciting and varied industry it is and that there is real potential to succeed in a range of roles.”
