On Wednesday 23 April we welcomed 31 aspiring Autocare Technicians to our Greater Manchester SkillCentre in Trafford Park for an assessment day with Halfords.
The bespoke event featured a variety of activities designed to give applicants an opportunity to demonstrate their skills in the hopes of securing a role at a Halfords branch across Greater Manchester.
The activities challenged their mechanical reasoning, knowledge of brakes and suspension, cylinder head replacement and components and wheels and tire removal and replacements.
Emily Hunter, Halfords Autocentres Early Careers Coordinator for the North, said: “The team at the Growth Company are fantastic. We knew that everything was under control, and we could focus on finding the right people for our roles.
“The biggest benefit of assessment days is being able to talk to the candidates about what working at Halfords is like and see how passionate they are about getting into the industry. We had a great group of candidates with diverse backgrounds and experiences which is something we’re really keen to encourage.”
Alan Grant, Halfords Autocentre Regional Manager for Central Manchester, said: “The assessment day gives us a chance to see which candidates are eager to learn and curious enough to ask the right questions. They also help give us an idea of each individual's current skill level and highlight where we can support their development.
I always say we can train the skill, but we can't train the will. That’s why seeing candidates in action is so important, and the facilities at the GM SkillCentre really give them the space to shine. All five candidates who came through last year’s assessment day are still with us and performing brilliantly so we know this approach works.”
Successful applicants will join the Growth Company in September on the level 2 Autocare Technician apprenticeship.
Paul Weir, Business Development Team Leader at the Growth Company, said: "Assessment days are just one of the many ways we help employers find the best candidates for their roles. These events give applicants the opportunity to really show themselves off to employers and we’re proud that we can offer our facilities and expertise to support this.
“We’re delighted to have sourced such a high calibre of applicants for Halfords and look forward to continuing to support them throughout the rest of the recruitment process."
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