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DAF Trucks Apprentice Programme celebrates 20th Anniversary

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  • Dexter Truscott seals hat-trick with 3rd-year Apprentice of the Year award
  • Tom Osborne, one of original intake in 1995, now Aftersales Director at Brian Currie
  • DAF Apprentices also score at IMI Outstanding Achievers Awards
  • 20% of all DAF Technicians in UK are ex-DAF Apprentices
  • DAF Trucks recognised at National Apprenticeship Awards

DAF Trucks last week celebrated the 20thAnniversary of its DAF Apprentice Programme. Regarded by many in the industry as the benchmark commercial vehicle training scheme for young people, the Programme culminates in an annual Apprentice of the Year Awards and Graduation Ceremony – this year at Tortworth Court Hotel near Bristol.

To date, DAF Trucks has trained 1,500 Apprentices since its inception in 1995, while a full 20% of all DAF Technicians at dealer level were trained on DAF Apprenticeships.

Seen by DAF Trucks as a highpoint in its events calendar, the awards saw Dexter Truscott from Wessex DAF scoop the 3rdYear Apprentice of the Year award, signalling a hat-trick after his 1stand 2ndYear victories. Dexter was presented with his prize by DAF Trucks Managing Director, Ray Ashworth, and Chairman of the DAF Dealer Service Panel, Phil Clayton. Although the Programme has seen previous female apprentices achieve excellence, Chloe Bevins from HTC Heathrow becomes the first to graduate and, as a result, has been promoted to Workshop Administrator.

Just the week previous, Dexter, along with Andrew Markell from Chassis Cab (Bury St Edmunds) attended the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) Outstanding Achievers Awards where the pair were both recognised in the Heavy Vehicle category. Further, and also in October, DAF Trucks has emerged as a Highly Commended finalist in the 2015 Regional Apprenticeship Awards.

“I knew when the programme started that it was the start of something big for the company” said Tony Shepherd, Business Services Manager and the man responsible for the DAF Apprentice Programme, “We set the bar high back in ’95, and we’ve strived to raise it every year since,” he said,

Among a great number of individuals who have gone onto high-achieve following their DAF Apprenticeships, is Tom Osborne. Having been a member of the original class of ’95, Tom is now Aftersales Director at DAF Dealer group, Brian Currie. Further, two Service Managers, Jamie Selway and Ryan Collins, are now Service Managers respectively at Harris DAF (Lea Valley) and Ford & Slater in Leicester.

“Today,” Tony Shepherd said, “the DAF Apprentice Programme leads the commercial vehicle industry as the benchmark training scheme for young people. Of course, that benchmark is maintained by the industry’s foremost dealer network – wherein there are now 131 locations nationwide. It fills me with great pride,” he added, “to see so many individuals flourish under the DAF Apprentice Programme, and to fully realise their potential in the wider DAF Dealer Network in whichever role they choose.”

First Year – Apprentice of the Year

1st: Thomas Hill – Greenhous DAF (Shrewsbury)

2nd: Craig Sutherland – Norscot T&V (Inverness)

3rd: Barry McCavigan – TBF Thompson DAF Trucks (Portadown)

Second Year – Apprentice of the Year

1st: Macauley Adams – Wessex DAF (Newton Abbot)

2nd: Josh A’Hearn – Adams Morey (Portsmouth)

3rd: Joe Peck – Ford & Slater DAF (Newark)

Third Year – Apprentice of the Year

1st: Dexter Truscott – Wessex DAF (Newton Abbot)

2nd: Tyler Watson – Ford & Slater DAF (Leicester)

3rd: John Lacey – Greenhous DAF (Willenhall)

The Award of Merit

Ewan Bruce – Lothian DAF

ENDS

For further details please contact:

Paul O’Malley, Torque Agency Group                                      
020 7952 1070
pomalley@torqueagencygroup.com

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