Out of the 30 new employees, who will gain hands on experience and structured training throughout their apprenticeships, 12 will be specifically trained on a certified Mercedes-Benz programme with the remaining 18 honing their skills via the Ford Masters Apprenticeship programme.

The Ford Masters Apprenticeship Programme will be managed and co-ordinated on behalf of Ford by training partners Skillnet, with apprentices attending dedicated block release training at Daventry or Blackpool. The Mercedes-Benz Apprentice Programme will be managed by the Mercedes-Benz in-house Apprentice Management Team with the apprentices attending on a block release basis at the Mercedes-Benz Training Centre at Tongwell, Milton Keynes.

Ian Dunn, head of Training, commented: ‘We are continuing to focus on growing the number of apprentices throughout Northgate, as this form of recruitment into the company has proven to be a highly effective way of securing future talent. The quality of the screening process in the recruitment of these apprentices ensures that we have only the most highly capable, motivated and enthusiastic young people entering the company, strengthening our commitment to providing the best levels of customer service at all times.'