Ofsted awards its highest accolade to BMW Group Academy UK

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 Ofsted awards its highest accolade to BMW Group Academy UK
17/03/2008

The BMW Group Academy UK today (17 March 2008) has been awarded the highest overall grade by Ofsted for its �outstanding� provision in training and development, with no key areas for improvement identified.

This rare accolade by Ofsted, with Grade 1 �outstanding� awards across all areas of provision, ensures that the BMW Group Academy UK remains the benchmark in the automotive sector. The Ofsted inspection judged over 80 per cent of training lessons observed to be outstanding.

Publication of today�s report coincides with a visit to the Academy by Chris Humphries, Chief Executive of the new UK Commission for Employment and Skills. From April 2008, the Commission will play a critical role in securing a world class profile for the UK on skills by 2020 and the aspiration of an 80 per cent employment rate.

Steve Nash, Aftersales Director BMW (UK) Ltd, said: �We�re delighted to have achieved an overall �outstanding� grade for the second time. Recruitment and retention of skilled people are critical issues facing the retail automotive sector and providing the best learning experience is integral to the continued success of both our dealer network and BMW UK. Furthermore, this achievement is further recognition of the company�s continued commitment to the UK skills agenda.�

The recognition of the Academy as a world class training venue, maintains BMW Group�s excellence in the provision of a high quality learning and development environment for its dealer network and its own workforce. In 2004, the government�s Adult Learning Inspectorate awarded BMW with an overall �outstanding� grade 1. Only a handful of training organisations across the country have repeated this success.

The Ofsted inspection commended BMW Group�s industry-leading dealer apprenticeship retention rate of over 90 per cent. Those apprentices who go on to join the Technical Institute were found to be seven times more likely to stay with the business than those who were not on a programme.

The inspection also highlighted BMW�s outstanding results on its bodyshop and service advanced apprenticeships, with an anticipated success rate of over 90 per cent in 2007/2008. Achievement rates for all programmes at NVQ Level Two were running consistently at 100 per cent.

The BMW UK has also been awarded a third �Beacon Award� by the Improvement Development Agency and is the only motor manufacturer to achieve this status. The Academy also came top of BMW Group�s Training Quality Index, outperforming all other BMW Group training establishments worldwide.

The Academy is actively involved in new initiatives such as the New Standards for employers, an assessment framework designed to recognise and celebrate the best organisations delivering training and development solutions to employers. BMW UK was asked to apply as part of the Employer Pilot in November 2007 and the results will be published in April 2008.

Ends
Editors� Note:
The full Ofsted inspection report on the BMW Group Academy UK can be found at www.ofsted.gov.uk

The BMW Group Academy UK is a purpose-built training and development facility which represents an investment by the BMW Group of �17 million. It provides all technical and non-technical training for the BMW, MINI and motorcycle dealer networks and to BMW Group�s employees throughout the UK.

Based at De Vere�s Wokefield Park, near Reading, the BMW Group Academy UK is 5,400 square metre site and contains 32 bays over six workshops, 22 training rooms and BMW, MINI and motorcycle showrooms to simulate BMW, MINI and Motorcycle working dealer environments.

Over 16,500 apprentices and delegates have attended courses at the BMW Group Academy UK since it officially opened in May 2006. Between 350 and 400 apprentices attend annually.

Ofsted Inspection Report...