Ford U.K. to Consolidate Dealership Training at New Center

Ford U.K. will build a new, state-of-the-art training facility at its existing site in Daventry, Northamptonshire, and bring its two existing Ford colleges under one roof as part of a multi-million dollar investment.

The new center, to open next year, will merge the Technical Training Centre located in Daventry, 80 miles (50 km) northwest of London, and the Henry Ford College in Loughborough, 40 miles (25 km) further north.

The college provides training for technicians, sales staff and management throughout Ford’s national dealer network.

Construction of the facility, to be Ford’s center of excellence for training across the U.K., is expected to be completed in December and is scheduled to open in early 2015.

The building will include classrooms, a 200-seat auditorium and a vehicle showroom, in addition to a lounge and large restaurant. Both the interior and exterior of the building will follow the design and style of the new-look Ford dealer showrooms.

It will conduct courses for adult students up to the master’s degree level, as well as for students taking the Ford Masters Apprenticeship (FMA) programs.

The facility will be an extension of the existing parts distribution center on the Daventry site.

Ford Customer Service Division Director Jon Wellsman says it is important dealer teams receive the highest quality technical and product training.

“This world-class new facility will enable us to do just that,” Wellsman says in a statement.

Ford also announces a series of engineering and business apprenticeship programs, including a newly established Higher Apprenticeship in information technology, in addition to the FMA program that recruits 450 new apprentices into the Ford dealer network every year.

“This new training center is a fantastic opportunity to consolidate our industry-leading training programs, enabling us to provide face-to-face tuition in a real-world working environment,” Ford College Manager Stuart Harris says.