Apprentice ‘Rising Star’ shines as Lookers wins North East round of National Apprenticeship Awards 2018

Lookers, well known Motability dealers, has been acknowledged for its commitment to the development of young talent at the North East round of the National Apprenticeship Awards for the second year running, this time with a ‘Rising Star’ amongst its workforce.

The awards celebrate the development of apprenticeships and apprenticeship programmes across the UK, with entrants welcome from a wide variety of industries.

From the regional champions, a national judging panel will select the overall National Apprenticeship Award winners, to be celebrated at a national ceremony on 28 November . The general public will be invited to vote on the overall winner for this category at national stages of the competition.

This year, the ceremony introduced a ‘Rising Star’ category, allowing employers the chance to nominate members of their team for their impressive work and quick progression. With the potential to climb to the very top of his career ladder, skilled Apprentice Technician Brad Baker from Lookers Nissan was awarded the coveted ‘Rising Star’ award.

Lookers also triumphed in the North East regional final of The Open University Macro category, demonstrating its commitment to ensuring its customers continue to receive the very best repair and maintenance support, all carried out by world class technicians who have a passion for their role.

Brad, who was over the moon to also have been awarded the Apprentice/Trainee Award in Lookers’ annual Excellence Awards ceremony earlier this year, enjoys “the rewarding aspect of helping customers get back on the road”, and his impressive portfolio of accomplishments is flourishing.

“Creating young skilled technicians is pivotal not just for our business, but for the future of the motor industry”, said Matt Clay, Group Qualifications Manager at Lookers. “Our apprenticeship programme allows us to recognise and recruit talented team members who will help Lookers to grow through their fresh perspectives, aptitude and ambition.”

Lookers is the only national motor retailer in the UK that features in the prestigious list of the country’s Top 100 Companies employing apprentices and incorporating intake in its recruitment strategies. As a result, the enrolment of apprentices has doubled from 78 to 162 in the last year.

The current number of apprentices at the motor group is now around 500, with a further 150 recruited so far this year. Lookers also recently launched a Female Apprenticeship Network as part of wider efforts to increase its intake of female apprentices, create a welcoming environment for young individuals and encourage support amongst dealership teams across each region.