We recently celebrated the achievements of over 150 trainees at a special end-of-year graduation event. The event was held at our GTG Training venue in Glasgow and was attended by over 300 people from all over the UK, including friends and family of the newly qualified trainees.
At the event, apprentices from training programmes such as Vehicle Maintenance and Vehicle Refinishing were recognised for their achievements, as well as Service Advisors who have completed courses that Arnold Clark has developed or are accredited by the Institute of Motor Industry (IMI).
We caught up with two trainee technicians, Danielle Hume and Jaspreet Rai, to find out a little bit more about their experience as apprentices with Arnold Clark.
Danielle Hume, 21, Stirling Mazda
Why did you apply for an apprenticeship?
I’ve had a passion for cars for as long as I can remember! I think I was about four when my granddad, who was also a mechanic, showed me what’s under a car’s bonnet. I was fascinated! When I was at school, we had an open day and an Arnold Clark representative came in and spoke to us about the apprenticeship, so I just applied as soon as I finished school. I’ve always wanted to work for a big company because I think the job security is better.
Was there anything you found particularly challenging?
Strains! I am quite small so when I started, everything was hard to do. I started going to the gym, building muscle and now I can confidently say I am much stronger. (laughs)
What did you learn (about yourself)?
I taught myself how to work in such a male-dominated industry! Sometimes it’s hard to be a girl in this kind of job and I didn’t have much confidence when I first started; I thought ‘Who’d trust a young girl with their car?’ But as my training progressed, I became more and more competent and my confidence grew. My trainers were really good and explained everything in detail, there was no rush or pressure so this also helped me learn the craft.
Who has been your biggest influence and help through this process?
My mentor Paul MacKie, who sadly passed away last year. He was the best mentor, very skillful – he knew cars inside out! He let me make mistakes and helped me improve, he was such a brilliant person.
What is the next step for you, career-wise?
I would love to become more and more qualified on a manufacturer-specific level. I work with Mazda now, their cars are really good to work on, and I would like to continue specializing with them.
Jaspreet Rai, 24 Giffnock BMW
Why did you apply for an apprenticeship?
My story is a bit different that the others – I did my qualifications at the Clydebank College and then I was looking for a job. I had good theoretical knowledge but not so much hands-on experience. I saw an advert about work experience at Giffnock BMW and I liked it so much that after the week was done, I asked to be kept for another week, and then for another one. Service manager Gemma Irons probably thought I was crazy! I just felt so lucky to be working at such a good branch, with such new technologies and some of the best cars.
Was there anything you found particularly challenging?
At the start I wasn’t too sure what to do or where to begin as I wasn’t at all like the other apprentices who had been in the programme. Mr Swan from GTG took me under his wing and helped me develop my portfolio, and the rest is history.
What did you learn (about yourself)?
I learned something really important – how to work with different age groups. In the workshop, there are people of all ages and all of them have their life stories and personalities, so it’s a good place to learn social skills. I was also quite comfortable with the cars, which I was a bit worried about in the beginning. The speed at which I was learning surprised me too! I learned how to do paperwork, speak to customers, etc. so I basically got an all-around view of the servicing process.
Who has been your biggest influence and help through this process?
My mentor John Murphy was so great throughout this. He gets varied jobs, big and small, which meant that I get to observe and help with all of them. This made it easy for me to progress and learn quicker rather than constantly doing repetitive things. I think it’s really important to be good at all jobs, an all rounder so to say.
What is the next step for you, career-wise?
Next stop for me will be (hopefully) to go on BMW courses, which will start at an entry level and then as you progress through the stages, you become a BMW approved technician. My dream is to be a master technician – there are only 50 in the UK and two of them work with me at Giffnock BMW. It is really an amazing experience to work shoulder to shoulder with them, I hope one day this can be me.