BURNASTON, U.K. – Toyota opens a new training academy in the U.K. to promote excellence in the key automotive areas of engineering, sales and marketing among both apprentices and existing staff.
The Toyota Academy within the automaker’s national skills center at its Burnaston plant in Derbyshire aims to deliver training programs providing learning and skills development. It will host apprentices and staff from across Toyota’s vehicle operations and from its wider network of components suppliers.
The academy is a central national facility for both the Toyota and Lexus brands. It provides courses for apprentices, technicians, sales, parts and service staff and managers under one roof, spanning the spectrum from the factory floor to the retail showroom and workshop.
The automaker hopes by bringing together people from different areas of its business, it will be able to foster a greater understanding and appreciation of the many different skills that go into building, marketing, selling and maintaining its vehicles.
It boasts a replica production line, two vehicle showrooms and nine workshops, plus 16 training rooms. The academy is operated by a staff of more than 20, including managers, administrators and trainers in specific skills such as vehicle servicing, parts, body and paint, technical and customer services.
Academy trainees can gain qualifications through courses in the Toyota Team 21 program, including Institute of the Motor Industry-accredited courses for young people starting their careers and in functional skills such as math, English and information-communications technology.
At its official opening Andy Pfeiffenberger, Toyota Motor Europe senior vice president-corporate administration, says, “This new academy shows Toyota’s commitment to investing in people to raise standards across our industry.”
Paul Van der Burgh, Toyota (Great Britain) president and managing director, adds: “The creation of a state-of-the-art academy has raised the bar in terms of the quality and standard of the training we are now able to provide to our network staff and also for young people through both our...apprenticeship schemes.
“We have invested in the latest learning technologies and we are committed to inspiring learning and developing people’s skills across the board.”
