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Hill Hire has extended its apprentice scheme with another two intakes. The first 10-strong intake started the scheme this week, with another 10 apprentices to come on board next year. Hill Hire has invested £200,000 in the "grow your own" approach since it started the programme in 2005 with a group of 10 apprentices. A second intake followed in February this year.

The three-year training provides an NVQ in motor vehicle maintenance, but the truck and trailer rental company has tailored  the programme to the specialist nature of its business. Apprentices take courses in refrigeration maintenance and hydraulics, among other specialisms, in a bid to reduce Hill Hire's reliance on sub-contracted workers.

"The idea is that these younger workers will then be able to train our older workers in the specialist work," regional service manager and programme developer Paul Allera tells Motor Transport. Worker shortage was not the main issue behind starting the scheme, he says. "In our industry, it's getting harder to find quality. We need something for our future - it's about going forward."

He has high hopes for continuing the programme, with the next board review of the scheme taking place in 2007. The scheme includes one-week blocks of classroom training at Birmingham City Technical College every six to eight weeks. Mentors within Hill Hire's existing workforce work with apprentices on a one-to-one basis to provide continuing development for new recruits, and all  of the company's 11 sites can take on apprentices, dependent on space and available resources.