Toyota and Lexus Apprenticeship Academy Awarded to Transport Training Services
Specialist Nutts Corner based training centre, Transport Training Services (TTS), has been announced as Toyota (GB) partner of choice for apprenticeship training in Northern Ireland. Under this new arrangement, TTS will be the preferred supplier of vehicle technician apprenticeship training for all Toyota and Lexus Retailers within Northern Ireland.
The talent academy was officially launched at an event hosted by TTS, which brought together representatives from Toyota GB, as well as Heads of Business and Workshop Managers from all Toyota and Lexus Retailers across Northern Ireland.
Toyota marked the launch with the handover of five training cars, including EV and hybrid models, as well as a range of other specialist workshop equipment for use during the TTS training programme.
Speaking at the launch, Greg Culshaw, General Manager Customer & Network Support, Toyota (GB) said: “We believe that talented, passionate, and enthusiastic people are key to our continuing success. Our Retailers in Northern Ireland offer outstanding working environments, structured genuine career progression supported with excellent world-leading training. We are therefore excited that this new Technical Apprenticeship delivered by Transport Training Services will help attract technicians to start their career with us and join Toyota”.
CEO of Transport Training Services, Michael Strain, added: “We welcome Toyota and Lexus as our newest branded apprenticeship academy and look forward to playing our part in developing talent for their networks across Northern Ireland. Toyota’s significant investment in vehicles and training equipment demonstrates its commitment to this partnership and further supports our aim of being at the forefront of upskilling industry in changing vehicle technology”.
Due to TTS’s ability to tailor course content, the students will be fully qualified Toyota or Lexus Service Technicians upon completion of the three-year training programme.
To find out about apprenticeship opportunities with a Toyota or Lexus retailer in your area, please contact Robert Deignan on 07736958355 or robertd@transporttraining.org.
2023 Apprenticeship Open Day in Pictures 📸
We were delighted to welcome so many young people and their families to TTS on Tuesday 7th February for our 2023 Open Day as part of NI Apprenticeship Week.
Big thanks to all TTS staff and all of the employers who took part for making the event such a success and to Antrim & Newtownabbey Labour Market Partnership for their support.
If you were unable to make it to the event but are interested in an apprenticeship in the motor, transport or logistics industry, or you are an employer in one of these sectors interested in hiring an apprentice, please get in touch with our Careers Development Officer Robert Deignan on 07736958355 or robertd@transporttraining.org
TTS Secures its Position as Market Leader for Automotive & Transport Sector Apprenticeships with 'TTS100'
TTS Wins Customer Service Excellence Award at Transport Industry Event
Transport Training Services (TTS) has been recognised for its customer support at the annual Export & Freight Transport & Logistics Awards. In an exceptionally well subscribed category, TTS won the ‘Excellence in Customer Service' award, sponsored by Close Brothers Commercial Finance.
The awards judges said TTS was a clear winner ‘demonstrating that a social enterprise can excel in customer satisfaction and sustain growth whilst also achieving social and community impact.’
TTS was presented with the award at a glittering ceremony at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in South Belfast, an event attended by almost 600 guests from all sectors of the transport and logistics industry and compered by BBC NI News presenter Sarah Travers and Actor and Comedian Tim McGarry.
Organised by the Hillsborough based publishers of Export & Freight magazine, 4SM (NI) Ltd, the event, returning after a two year absence because of the Covid-19 pandemic, is Ireland’s premier platform of recognition for those operating in the industry; it celebrates all the hard work, determination, and ongoing investment that make the industry what it is today.
TTS regularly surveys its customers (apprentices and professional development clients) on a range of topics including quality of teaching, teaching methods, facilities and support received, and across the board respondents are highly satisfied.
We are currently recruiting for an Automotive Trainer
We are currently recruiting for an Automotive Trainer
For more information and to apply for this post, please click on this link https://www.communityni.org/job/automotive-trainer-0
2022 Apprentice Recruitment Campaign Launched!
We launched our apprentice recruitment campaign at an Open Day on Thursday 10th February to coincide with Northern Ireland Apprenticeship Week.
As well as showcasing our range of existing apprenticeship frameworks, we also launched new logistics apprenticeships, aimed at addressing the skills gaps in the Northern Ireland logistics sector.
During the Open Day, young people and their families were able to engage in interactive activities at our purpose-built Nutts Corner training campus and met with our careers advisors and technical trainers. Some of our apprentice employers were also in attendance including Diamond Trucks, Donnelly Group, Mercedes-Benz Truck & Van NI, TBF Thompson, Woodside Logistics Group and Wrightbus and attendees were able to apply for live vacancies on the day.
For more information about apprenticeships with TTS, please contact Robert Deignan on 07736958355 or robertd@transporttraining.org
TTS Launches New Customer Service, Management & Team Leading Apprenticeships
Transport Training Services has launched a brand new range of apprenticeships aimed at helping existing automotive, transport and logistics professionals to up-skill in the following areas:
Team Leading Apprenticeship
This level 2 team leading apprenticeship is designed for supervisors or first-line managers and provides practical knowledge and skills to strengthen leadership in an existing role or to advance the learner’s management career.
To participate in this apprenticeship, candidates must be managing people currently and they must hold team and one-to-one meetings.
Management Apprenticeship
This level 3 management apprenticeship is designed for current managers who require upskilling in areas of their job to be fully competent.
To participate in this apprenticeship, candidates should be managing staff and/or managing processes.
Customer Service Apprenticeship
A customer service apprenticeship is a training scheme that teaches the skills required to provide excellent customer service. These skills can be applied to jobs in almost any sector so the career possibilities are endless.
For more information on these apprenticeships, please click here.
TTS Launches Range of New Logistics Apprenticeships
In a further commitment to the wider transport industry in Northern Ireland, Transport Training Services has launched a range of new logistics sector apprenticeships.
The UK logistics sector contributes £127 billion to the UK economy and with the boom in online retail over the last number of years, logistics jobs have never been so vital. The logistics apprenticeships will support logistics industry employers with their workforce needs and will offer young people a pathway into a career in this vast sector.
These apprenticeships will help support logistics industry employers with their workforce needs across a range of areas including:
- Warehousing & Storage
- Logistics Operations
- Supply Chain Management
Logistics roles oversee every stage of the production process, starting with the purchasing of the raw material then moving to picking, packing, transport planning and finally the distribution of goods from the warehouse to the customer's door.
These roles are critical parts of the supply chain that ensure manufacturers have all of the ingredients or components required to make their products; that our shops, restaurants and hotels are fully stocked; and that homes across the country receive their letters and parcels on time.
For more information on these apprenticeships, please visit the new logistics section of our website.
Transport Training Services Expands Leadership
A lot has been going on at Transport Training Services since it emerged from the Covid lockdowns.
The organisation has a new Chief Executive and has added ten new members to its Board of Trustees demonstrating expertise across Education, Transport and Automotive.
Michael Strain is the new Chief Executive who comes from a 30-year career in the oil distribution industry. His career started in 1986 working for Fuel Services NI Ltd before heading to Dublin in 1997 to work for Shell Oil. Eight years later Michael returned to Northern Ireland to head up Shell’s all Ireland Local Fuels Operation as it transitioned to Topaz.
“It’s with great pride that I take the up this role with TTS. As with any new career challenge there is always a feeling of excitement and trepidation. However, I have never started a role that gave me such instant gratification and personal reward for what we are trying to achieve at TTS as a charity and a centre of education.
When leaving the oil industry, I set myself a personal goal of getting involved in either a charity or an environmental organisation. I have achieved both in TTS. As a charity we are the leading provider for apprenticeships and career focused training for people in the transport, automotive and logistics industries, providing a crucial route for young people to gain well-paid, secure, productive employment.
Transport by its nature has been, and continues to be, a major global polluter, and this is where my environmental goal gets fulfilled. At TTS, one of our missions is to work closely with vehicle manufacturers to develop new training skills, materials and facilities to cater for alternate fuels. We currently have a dedicated EV training suite and are now in the process of working with local councils and education boards to develop our hydrogen strategy. I’m looking forward to all these new initiatives and can feel my personal carbon footprint decreasing by the day”.
Michael is pleased to be supported in his role by the Transport Training Board of Northern Ireland whose board of trustees bring with them a wealth of knowledge across the transport and educational sectors of Northern Ireland.
Find out more about the new TTB board here.
Transport Training Services is a working name of the social enterprise company and charity the Transport Training Board for Northern Ireland charity registration NI101451
Apprenticeship Recovery Package Extended to 31st March 2022
As you may be aware the Department for the Economy (DfE) has been offering an Apprenticeship Recovery Package for Northern Ireland that channels financial support to local businesses to help the apprenticeship system respond to the impact of the COVID-19 crisis. These incentives previously supported the return and retention of furloughed apprentices and the recruitment of new apprentices up to 31st March 2021, but TTS is delighted that the DfE have announced an extension of these schemes until 31 March 2022.
The New Apprenticeship Incentive Scheme
This scheme is open to employers who take on an apprentice participating in the Department for the Economy funded ApprenticeshipsNI or Higher Level Apprenticeship programmes with up to £3,000 available to employers for each new apprenticeship opportunity created between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2022.
This incentive is available for all new apprenticeship opportunities created, including those made available for apprentices who have been made redundant by another employer.
- Payment 1 - £2,000 after 90 days retention following start of new paid apprenticeship
- Payment 2 - £1,000 after 200 days retention following start of new paid apprenticeship
For further information and to download an application form for the scheme please see: www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/content/coronavirus-recruitment-new-apprenticeships
Apprenticeship Return, Retain and Result Scheme
This scheme is open to employers participating on the DfE-funded ApprenticeshipsNI or Higher Level Apprenticeship programmes, who return apprentices who were furloughed as part of the UK Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
DfE will provide incentive payments to help you return your apprentice(s) from furlough, retain them in work and for successful completion of their apprenticeship with up to £3,700 available per apprentice.
- Return - £500 per returned furloughed apprentice payable for the first full month of paid apprenticeship between 1 November 2020 and 31st March 2022.
- Retain – maximum of £2,000 available: £500 per month for up to 4 consecutive months of paid apprenticeship following the “return” month between 1 December 2020 and 31 March 2022.
- Result - £1,200 for successful completion of all apprenticeship components by a returned furloughed apprentice
For further information and to download an application form for the scheme please see: www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/content/coronavirus-apprenticeship-return-retain-result-scheme
If you are interested in recruiting an automotive or transport industry apprentice, please contact our dedicated Careers Development Officer, Robert Deignan on 07736958355 or via email on robertd@transporttraining.org. We can assist you with all of the necessary paperwork.