Plug into a new job as an electric vehicle technician at Halfords

PLUG into a new career with a job as an electric vehicle technician.

Fresh figures out this week from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders revealed one in every five cars sold in the UK is now a battery-electric vehicle, with sales soaring 78 per cent in the last year alone.

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However, the number of mechanics qualified to service electric vehicles (EVs) has failed to keep pace, with garages across the nation now on a huge recruitment drive.

Halfords is leading the charge, taking on 500 new EV technicians to meet demand.

The firm is partnering with the Institute of Motor Industry (IMI) and DVSA to develop qualifications and training offering a route to become a hybrid trained technician and MOT tester.

Former apprentice Josh Hall joined Halfords straight from school and was crowned the 2019 Halfords British Touring Car Championship apprentice winner.

The EV expert has now landed a job as a car mechanic for Team Dynamics, the company that runs the Halfords with Cataclean Racing BTCC team, to help the squad focus on hybrid racing technology.

Josh, 23, from Hartlepool, said: “My apprenticeship has been a great foundation and gives me the confidence I need to work at a higher pace, under more pressure, on more specialised equipment.

“The experience has opened so many doors for the future.”

Andy McBride, group head of resourcing at Halfords, said: “As a nation we need to be training technicians at twice the current rate.

“We’re determined to ensure we stay ahead of the game and play our part in helping people transition to electric forms of transport.”

Apply at halfordscareers.com.

VIRGIN ON RUNWAY

THE sky could be the limit as Virgin Atlantic is taking on fresh talent in its engineering and maintenance teams.

There are ten spaces up for grabs on Virgin’s apprenticeship programme and another four places on the firm’s graduate scheme.

Neil Ambidge, vice-president of engineering and maintenance, said: “Having started my own career as a graduate at Virgin Atlantic, I’m not only a huge advocate of developing our next generation of engineers, I’m also testament to the opportunities these programmes enable.”

Apply by May 15 at careersuk.virgin-atlantic.com.

DEV’S A MATCH WINNER

A GRADUATE who struggled to find a suitable course after quitting a medical degree has created an AI-powered platform that promises to match candidates with their perfect job or learning program within three minutes.

Entrepreneur Dev Sangha’s platform Learnisa has been dubbed the GoCompare for online courses and jobs.

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It features over 600,000 live job vacancies and over 110,000 courses from beekeeping to banking.

Dev, 28, from Buckinghamshire said: “Earners and jobseekers simply need to simply select and enter any skills which they think they have and let Learnisa do the rest.”

See Learnisa.com

USE THE FORCE AT WORK

THE fourth of May is Star Wars Day.

Here psychologist Dr Audrey Tang reveals how you can use the Force at work.

LET GO OF EVERYTHING YOU FEAR TO LOSE: Be like a Jedi to recognise emotions and respond appropriately. This will help you manage your feelings and handle interactive relationships effectively

GOOD IS A POINT OF VIEW: As a Padawan, Anakin Skywalker was manipulated by Chancellor Palpatine through praise. Use the power of praise to motivate your staff.

DECEIVE YOUR EYES CAN: Make decisions based on evidence over tradition – the Jedi council was unable to sense the presence of the Sith disguised as one of their own senators.

ALLOW THIS APPOINTMENT LIGHTLY: Obi-Wan was a revered Jedi, but possibly not an effective mentor to Anakin. Communicate with your teams regarding their personal development as you may need to implement a different route.

TWICE THE PRIDE, DOUBLE THE FALL: The Death Star was taken down by a torpedo fired in a hole “no bigger than a womp rat”. Never think you are impervious.

This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk