Bentley Motors, the car manufacturer that employs 3,700 people at its Crewe HQ, is to establish a new skills improvement programme.

This will broaden and enhance employees’ skills, the company said. It is investing in new training tools and re-designing its apprenticeship scheme. Integrated into the shopfloor at the Pyms Lane site will be 10 ‘training islands’ to provide near-the-job training.

HR director Ariane Reinhart, said: “The automotive industry moves at a fast pace. It’s vital that we not only bring fresh thinking into the business but also continually develop our own talent.

“We are working on the next generation of Bentleys, and it’s important that our colleagues share the same commitment to performance, quality and engineering
excellence that our cars possess. 


“That’s why we are investing in our new ‘up-skilling’ programme, to ensure that we help our colleagues be as good as they can be. The introduction of training islands, taking advantage of the expertise of master trainers and adopting a dual education approach are just some of the tools we will use to ensure that a strong skills base continues throughout the business.”

This month sees 51 apprentices join Bentley, which is the largest intake in a decade; 40 of them will be part of a new dedicated manufacturing scheme, as Bentley builds up to the introduction of the Bentley SUV in 2016.