The Garage Inspector latest to visit NLGGTA as part of Wrenches & Wisdom
Andy Savva, AKA The Garage Inspector, recently talked to a workshop full of Level 3 vehicle maintenance apprentices about undertaking a career in the aftermarket
As part of its ongoing Wrenches & Wisdom campaign, where Schaeffler puts the spotlight on apprenticeships and career possibilities in the aftermarket, the motion technology company arranged for REPXPERT ambassador, Andy Savva, to present one of his mini masterclasses to level three apprentices at NLGGTA.
The North London Garages Group Training Association is the largest independent motor vehicle training provider in London, and its Chief Executive, Colin Denton, was very excited to welcome Andy to its HQ.
“To have Andy come to North London Garages and give students guidance and advice is a godsend,” said Colin. “His talk showed us what else we can do to help our students going forward and what kind of support they need from us. We also saw the enthusiasm the students had when Andy was talking, especially with regards to how they could set up their own businesses.”
Andy was also happy that he could help: “This day was about creating interest and making the apprentices realise how important they are to the automotive industry. It was also about giving the younger generation the opportunity to learn from the older generation about the experiences we’ve had, so I absolutely loved it.
“As an industry, we need to get out of the mindset of ‘lack of experience’ when it comes to hiring. These young people are eager to learn and are receptive to what they can be taught. Hiring an apprentice can add so much value to a business, even if it’s to do simple, entry level jobs to start with, such as putting a car onto a ramp and taking the wheels off ready for the trained technician to take over, all this can increase efficiency in the workshop.”
Colin continued the theme: “You could employ an apprentice and get a return on your investment in as little as six weeks, we just need garage owners to understand this and to take that initial step.
“Thanks to Schaeffler’s help, the last six to eight months has been a gamechanger for us, from being introduced to Andy Savva to getting support from other leading manufacturers, it’s given our apprentices the chance to learn new skills that that aren’t part of the standard curriculum.”