HRH the Duke of York is pictured on a tour of the new facility at Mercedes-Benz UK’s headquarters at Tongwell.
Mercedes-Benz UK has invested £2.1 million into its new apprentice training facility, which provides industry-leading training for young people to become Mercedes-Benz qualified technicians and parts advisors.
The Duke of York met a group of current apprentices and heard for himself about the benefits of being part of the apprenticeship programme, which leads to nationally-recognised NVQ and VRQ qualifications.
His visit was part of a day’s tour of Milton Keynes. The Duke also visited lifting equipment manufacturer Niftylift at Stonebridge before meeting cookery and hospitality apprentices at the DeVere Aacademy at Harben House in Newport Pagnell. He also visited Bletchley Park.
Marcus Breitschwerdt, president and chief executive officer of Mercedes-Benz UK said: “We were honoured and delighted when His Royal Highness The Duke of York asked to visit us.
"Our new Apprentice Academy will be operational for the first intake of students on 16 April and is a fantastic example of how Mercedes-Benz UK is making a long term investment in people, and in the future of British industry."
The first students are due to arrive at the new Apprentice
Academy on April 16.
Mercedes-Benz has recruited 150 apprentices from 10,000 applications to join its Advanced Apprentice Programme this year. A total 1,148 apprentices have graduated from The Apprentice Academy since it opened in 1995, with 60% of those who graduated still working within the brand ten years later.
Mr Breitschwerdt said: “The Mercedes-Benz brand makes a huge contribution to the UK’s economic, engineering, technology, business and cultural landscape, and secures UK-wide employment across a range of disciplines, including youth development through our apprenticeship scheme.”
