On Wednesday 13th July, Snows' Head Office greeted the first wave of Snows Academy Apprentices, who travelled from all over the South of England to attend. Eleven young people, some of whom are straight out of school, are now taking on the challenge of being Customer Service Apprentices at Snows, where they will learn how to make a success of themselves in the motor industry.
Based at five different locations – BMW and MINI Portsmouth; Lexus, Toyota, and Lotus Hedge End; Toyota Southampton; Toyota Exeter; and Toyota Plymouth – these apprentices are being guided to understand best practice in providing an excellent Snows standard of customer care. They will be following a programme delivered by Learning Skills Partnership, based in Hull, who are specialists in the automotive industry. Moving around the business to discover each of its departments, from initial sale through to aftersales, the apprentices will gain a comprehensive knowledge of the industry.
The First Wave of Snows Academy Initiates at Head Office.
At the induction last week, Group Chairman Stephen Snow welcomed the Snows Academy initiates to Head Office, also the home of Volvo and SEAT Southampton in Second Avenue. He provided information on why the company has taken the decision to enrol an apprenticeship scheme, stating: ‘In today’s competitive marketplace there are many talented young people keen to prove their worth in business, particularly within the automotive industry. We at Snows have decided to grow our own, acknowledging that the experiences and opportunities we can offer will aid the development of our Customer Service Apprentices to ensure that they complete Snows Academy as accomplished and high achieving individuals’.
Stephen also joined the business straight from school, getting involved in a variety of roles including valeting and parts before taking over from father Geoff Snow in 2007, and so he – like many of the Group’s Board of Directors – is an excellent example of what the Snows Customer Service Apprentices could achieve.
Throughout the year, the development of the apprentices will be assessed in order to monitor progress and ensure that they are getting all the support they need to become fully fledged team members. At the end of the course, successful participants will be awarded their Customer Service NVQ Level Two.
Snows hopes that many of these apprentices will stay with the company for years to come, will full backing to advance their careers. To follow their journeys as they venture into the working world, stay tuned to the Snows blog, where updates will be posted detailing the progress of Snows Academy.
Snows has 28 dealerships across the South of England, stretching from Plymouth to Guildford, and including the Isle of Wight. The Group prides itself on its reputation and dedication to delivering excellent customer service, and is rewarded by the fact that over half of its business comes from returning customers. With Snows, driving becomes an experience, rather than a chore.
Author: Charlotte Saunders
Please contact Charlotte Saunders using Charlotte.Saunders@snowsgroup.co.uk or 02380 707750 with all press enquiries.
Posted on 21/07/2016 by Snows with 1 comment