A new apprenticeship standard that could help boost fleet industry skills is under consideration by the Association of Fleet Professionals.

AFP chair Paul Hollick said an apprenticeship standard could help further with formally professionalising roles within the fleet sector

Its members and the wider industry have already called for such a scheme and the organisation said it’s now looking into the process involved to create a standard while also inviting feedback from across the sector to gauge enthusiasm.

Stating that it’s an idea with “significant appeal”, chair Paul Hollick said an apprenticeship standard could help further with formally professionalising roles within the sector.

“While there are many highly qualified and capable fleet managers in our sector, supported by training and qualifications available through the AFP Fleet Academy, this is not a profession with a recognised entry route. Having apprenticeships would change that and provide much more of a structured career path into the fleet sector,” he outlined.

“In the future, especially as fleet managers continue to evolve into mobility specialists, an apprenticeship could eventually sit alongside career choices in other corporate specialisms such as human resources and procurement, providing a steady stream of talented individuals.”

But he stressed that the size of the task and degree of industry support required “should not be underestimated”.

“We at The AFP have the energy and commitment to support employers to drive this forward but the creation of a vehicle fleet apprenticeship programme would need widespread commitment to ensure its success.”

This would include commitment from a number of companies that they would take on apprentices, in order to prove the need and viability for its introduction.

Hollick outlined: “This requires what is referred to as a ‘trailblazing group’ of 10-20 experienced fleet employers who will be instrumental in helping to develop the apprenticeship standard and employ apprentices in the first year of the programme.

“This is very much a question of employers putting their money where their mouths are and there would need to be a cohort of businesses willing to both create jobs and put in place all of the support resources and mechanisms that apprentices need.”

Businesses and industry professionals interested in becoming involved in the setting up the new fleet apprentice standard should contact the AFP at [email protected].