TTS to Host Apprenticeship Open Day - 14th April
TTS is holding an Open Day on Monday 14th April to provide prospective apprentices and apprentice employers with information about courses available.
Attendees will find out about the range of apprenticeships and career opportunities available within the motor vehicle, transport & logistics sectors across Northern Ireland.
As well as those interested in an apprenticeship for themselves, the event is also open to parents/guardians of young people considering an apprenticeship, teachers/careers advisors and any company that currently employs apprentices or would like to find out about employing apprentices.
The Open Day will provide an opportunity for those interested in learning about apprenticeships in motor, transport and logistics to visit to TTS's purpose-built training campus to speak to its Careers and Technical Training teams, engage with employers, and register as an applicant.
TTS prides itself on its apprentice-employer matching service, that seeks to match prospective apprentices with employers who are recruiting for apprentices. TTS expects to have live vacancies available that can be applied for on the day.
Registration to attend this event is advised.
To register to attend, please click here.
TTS to Host Additional Apprenticeship Open Day - June 2023
TTS is holding an Open Day on Thursday 22nd June 2023 to further support prospective apprentices and apprentice employers.
Attendees will find out about the range of apprenticeships and career opportunities available within the motor vehicle, transport & logistics sectors across Northern Ireland.
Any school leaver / young person, parent/guardian, teacher/careers advisor is welcome to attend, as well as any company that currently employs apprentices or would like to find out about employing apprentices.
The Open Day will provide an opportunity for those interested in learning about apprenticeships in motor, transport and logistics to visit to its purpose-built training campus to speak to its Careers and Technical Training teams, engage with employers, and register as an applicant.
TTS prides itself on its apprentice-employer matching service, that seeks to match prospective apprentices with employers who are recruiting for apprentices. TTS expects to have live vacancies available that young people can apply for on the day.
Registration to attend this event is advised.
To find out more about this event or to register to attend please click here.
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 to Host 2023 Apprenticeship Open Day
TTS is holding an Open Day on Tuesday 7th February 2023 as part of its Northern Ireland Apprenticeship Week activities.
Attendees will find out about the range of apprenticeships and career opportunities available within the motor vehicle, transport & logistics sectors across Northern Ireland.
Any school leaver / young person, parent/guardian, teacher/careers advisor is welcome to attend, as well as any company that currently employs apprentices or would like to find out about employing apprentices.
The Open Day will provide an opportunity for those interested in learning about apprenticeships in motor, transport and logistics to visit to our purpose-built training campus to speak to our Careers and Technical Training Teams, participate in activities, engage with employers, and register as an applicant.
Registration to attend this event is advised.
To find out more about this event or to register to attend please click here.
TTS Secures its Position as Market Leader for Automotive & Transport Sector Apprenticeships with 'TTS100'
‘Women in Wheels NI’ Event Demonstrates Demand for Automotive & Transport Careers by Women
Transport Training Services hosted the first ever Women in Wheels NI event on Sunday 6th March to coincide with International Women’s Day.
The event called Women Driving Change, which was kindly sponsored by Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council, offered females of all ages from across Northern Ireland the opportunity to find out about the wide range of career opportunities in the automotive and transport/logistics sectors.
Participants took part in interactive activities, including getting behind the wheel of a truck or bus and getting hands-on with vehicle maintenance demonstrations. The event also had speakers from a broad cross-section of the motor and transport sectors, from truck and bus drivers, vehicle technicians, fleet and transport managers, female business owners and many more. A range of employers were also there to talk about live job opportunities on the day, including Woodside Logistics Group, Translink, Bryson Recycling, Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service, DHL Supply Chain, Manpower, Mercedes-Benz Truck & Van, and Donnelly Group.
With more than 120 people through the doors at TTS and 72 getting behind the wheel of a truck or bus, the event was a huge success. As well as practical activities such as vehicle technician demonstrations and vehicle paint technician displays, a range of panel discussions, hosted by Pamela Dennison, ran throughout the day with speakers from a broad cross-section of the sectors being promoted.
In addition to Automotive, Transport & Logistics and HGV Driver panels, a Compliance and Fleet Management panel gave attendees the chance to find out about career possibilities that may be lesser known roles to anyone outside of the industry.
Siofra McClure, Recruitment Co-Ordinator at Woodside Logistics Group had this to say:
“At Woodside Logistics Group, our aim is to continue to build an inclusive culture where all our staff feel welcome and valued. We recognise there is a need to encourage more women into the transport and logistics industry and we are proud to work with partners like Women in Wheels NI to show the opportunities we have for women interested in a career in logistics and build on the progress we have already made.
We were delighted to be a partner at the inaugural Women Driving Change event at the Transport Training Services on Sunday 6th March. The event was a huge success and really highlighted not only the opportunities available for women in the industry but the amount of women in Northern Ireland who want to break down the barriers and start a career in logistics. We are excited to continue our work to drive inclusion and we look forward to working with our colleagues in the industry to provide more opportunities for women.”
Fiona Gallery, HR Officer at Donnelly Group added: “Thank you for such an inspiring day! It was great to meet so many passionate women who are interested in a career the automotive industry. Donnelly Group are very proud to support and work in partnership with such a fantastic event.”
One participant, Zoe McVey, said: “Thank you so much for today. It was so interesting. I really enjoyed the practical aspect too. I am definitely going to do my HGV training. Thanks for helping me decide!”
Another, Stephanie Blain, added: “Great day all round. It has totally inspired me! I have plenty of homework and reading to do…Hopefully I’ll be going forward into the future for something that really interests me.”
And Alex Jay, had this to say: “Absolutely class!...I've been struggling a lot lately and today was such an amazing experience. I’m still smiling from my drive in the fire engine! So many lovely people sharing their experiences in various careers has really given me inspiration. Thank you so much to everyone who spent time chatting with me.”
Other comment included: “a new career beckons” and “change of career direction I think”.
With less than 2% of vehicle technicians and large goods vehicle drivers in NI, and just 14% of all UK logistics workers being female, the organisations involved in this event are committed to attracting more women into a range of historically male-dominated careers.
Michael Strain, CEO of TTS, commented: “I have no doubt that many of the women in attendance will go on to take up careers in automotive or transport, having seen the response on the day and the very positive feedback that we have received since. We couldn’t have been more pleased to see the fantastic turn out at the first ever Women in Wheels NI event.”
TTS runs a Facebook Group (www.facebook.com/groups/womeninwheelsni) which now has more than 340 members, a combination of automotive and transport industry professionals and women interested in careers in these sectors.
Due to the success of this inaugural Women in Wheels NI event, TTS hopes to run another one later in the year.
TTS to Host 2022 Apprenticeship Open Day
TTS is holding an Open Day on Thursday 10th February 2022 as part of its Northern Ireland Apprenticeship Week activities.
Attendees will find out about the range of apprenticeships and career opportunities available within the motor vehicle, transport & logistics sectors across Northern Ireland.
Any school leaver / young person, parent/guardian, teacher/careers advisor is welcome to attend, as well as any company that currently employs apprentices or would like to find out about employing apprentices.
The Open Day will provide an opportunity for those interested in learning about apprenticeships in motor, transport and logistics to visit to our purpose-built training campus to speak to our Careers and Technical Training Teams, participate in activities, engage with employers, and register as an applicant.
Registration to attend this event is advised.
To find out more about this event or to register to attend please click here.
TTS Launches New Initiatives to Support Transport Apprentices & Employers
Transport Training Services has launched a range of new programmes and initiatives aimed at supporting current and prospective transport industry apprentices and apprentice employers.
Supported by the Department for the Economy’s ‘Apprenticeship Challenge Fund’ and in conjunction with marketing company, Genie Insights, and workplace training specialist, CB Training Services, the new initiatives are in direct response to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
TTS knows from experience that bringing apprentices into the workplace, whilst vital to the future workforce, can sometimes come with unique challenges. The experience can be much smoother and more rewarding if both parties are well prepared. Via a suite of new support programmes, TTS will offer apprentices and employers the opportunity to learn the skills they need to make the partnership successful from day one and will support both in the recruitment and selection process.
The funding that has been made available, has allowed TTS to create opportunities for apprentices that have been made redundant to get back into employment and training, and aims to ensure that the future labour pool is not negatively affected by a short-term downturn in apprentice recruitment.
Structured Support Programmes
As a long-time supplier of apprenticeship training for employers in Northern Ireland, TTS recognises the challenges faced by employers in both the recruitment process and in managing and supporting apprentices. In response to these challenges, TTS can now offer further, structured and practical support for apprentice employers, including an apprenticeship brokerage service and a workplace mentoring programme.
Apprenticeship Brokerage Service
While some employers have the means to source their own apprentices, TTS understands that it’s not always easy for others due to expertise, time or resource limitations. For those apprentice employers that need support in the recruitment and assessment process, TTS offers an apprenticeship brokerage service that matches pre-assessed apprenticeship applicants to live vacancies.
Workplace Mentoring Programme
TTS has introduced a Workplace Mentoring Programme which has been specially designed to develop workshop supervisors/journeymen in the management skills required to support apprentices from the start to the end of his/her apprenticeship framework. This is intended to ensure the transition is as smooth as possible for both the apprentice and the employer.
Support for Apprentices
A range of complementary schemes will also support apprentices to secure and maintain apprenticeship employment. A new Jump Start ‘work-ready’ programme will require all new apprentices to complete a pre-employment course. For many starting an apprenticeship, this will be the first time they have ever had employment, or it could be their first time working in a structured environment, so this new initiative will make sure each apprentice has the skills and work ethic that employers desire.
Car to Commercial Conversion Course
A brand new car to commercial conversion course will also provide training to those whose employment has been affected by Covid-19 and the economic downturn. This short conversion programme will give those with light vehicle repair and maintenance experience the opportunity to upskill to heavy vehicle maintenance including pneumatic brakes, 24-volt electrical systems, heavy diesel engines and roadside recovery safety.
Women in Wheels
A final aspect of the apprenticeship challenge fund is to redress the gender imbalance in the automotive and transport sectors. Over the coming months, TTS will be specifically promoting these industries with diversity in mind in a bid to encourage more apprenticeship applications from females. A number of female-oriented events are planned and a range of promotional activities have commenced. A group of inspiring and dedicated females who are either existing apprentices or are experienced women working in a range of roles across the sectors have been identified as female ambassadors. TTS has also launched a Facebook group called ‘Women in Wheels NI’ to give females who work in, or who may be interested in a career in automotive, transport or logistics in Northern Ireland to meet and engage with other like-minded females.
To find out more about any of these new schemes or to enquire about apprentices for your business, please contact Robert Deignan at robertd@transporttraining.org or on 07736 958355.