This month, Inspiro Learning welcomed Olivia Bailey MP and Sally Jameson MP to two of its automotive apprenticeship training centres, providing an opportunity to see first-hand how high-quality, employer-led apprenticeships are helping young people develop the skills, confidence and experience needed to build successful careers in the automotive industry.
Facilitated by The St Martin’s Group, the visits took place at the BMW Group Academy at Wokefield Park and Inspiro’s specialist Learning Centre in Doncaster. Together, the sites currently support more than 1,600 automotive apprentices and help employers develop the skilled workforce needed across the sector. More than half of automotive learners are aged 16 to 18, and more than 800 learners join its automotive apprenticeship programmes each year.
At a time when policymakers are seeking to improve pathways into employment and reduce the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET), the visits provided a valuable opportunity to explore what effective practice looks like in action.
Developing young people’s skills for long-term success
During her visit to the BMW Group Academy, Olivia Bailey MP toured the technical training facilities and met first-year apprentices to hear directly about their experiences of training and their aspirations for the future.
The discussions highlighted the role apprenticeships play in creating skilled, sustainable career opportunities for young people. Alongside technical expertise, apprentices develop broader workplace skills including communication, leadership, teamwork and financial awareness, helping them build the confidence and resilience needed to succeed in employment. This approach delivers strong results, with an 82% completion rate on its Level 3 Motor Vehicle Service and Maintenance Technician (Light Vehicle) programme, compared with a national average of around 60%.
The academy supports around 400 apprentices across technical and commercial programmes, providing a direct link between training and the workforce requirements of a major global employer.
Olivia Bailey MP described the programme as a “positive example” of apprenticeship provision for young people.
Preserving and strengthening successful skills models
During her visit to Inspiro’s specialist Learning Centre in Doncaster, Sally Jameson MP saw how specialist apprenticeship provision can support learners and employers at a national scale. The centre delivers automotive apprenticeships in paint and body repair, with many apprentices travelling from across the country to access facilities and expertise that would be difficult to replicate locally. National employers benefit from a consistent approach that supports apprentices across multiple sites and regions.
Discussions highlighted the important role that independent training providers, specialist centres of excellence and national employer partnerships play in delivering high-quality apprenticeship provision. It also focused on the need for future reforms to preserve and strengthen successful models that support both local and national skills development needs.
The visit also highlighted the importance of policy stability. Long-term investment in specialist facilities, expertise and apprenticeship capacity depends on a coherent system that gives employers and providers the confidence to invest.
With automotive central to the UK’s advanced manufacturing ambitions within the Modern Industrial Strategy, this national provision is helping employers develop the skilled workforce they need, supporting the next generation of automotive professionals and contributing to the wider economic growth the sector is expected to drive.
Stuart Wilson, CEO of Inspiro Learning, said:
“It was fantastic to welcome Olivia and Sally to our training sites and showcase the impact high-quality, employer-led apprenticeships can have in helping young people into skilled, rewarding careers.
“At a time when the government is rightly focused on expanding pathways into skilled employment, these visits provided a valuable opportunity to demonstrate what works in practice – combining specialist technical training with the confidence, resilience and wider skills young people need to succeed.
“We also welcomed the opportunity to discuss how training providers, employers and policymakers can work together to ensure successful apprenticeship models have the stability and support they need to reach more young people and deliver the skilled workforce businesses need.
We’re proud to be members of The St Martin’s Group and grateful to the team for facilitating these important conversations.”