18-year-old, Ryan Battista, from Denton Burn in Newcastle, has been appointed as an apprentice motor vehicle technician at the Jennings Kia Parsons Road service department in Washington.

After completing his GCSEs and ‘A’ Levels at Kenton School in Newcastle, Ryan, was keen top take the apprenticeship route.

Ryan explains: “I’ve always wanted to learn about cars and how everything works.  Being given the opportunity to gain hands-on experience and work towards achieving additional qualifications, was the perfect combination.

“It’s great to have been given this opportunity with a company so heavily focussed on Apprenticeships and developing skills and knowledge.”

For the next three years Ryan will be working alongside one of the department’s Kia trained motor vehicle technicians, Gary Ramshaw, in addition to spending time taking part in a variety of practical and theory sessions through a block release programme at Kia’s state-of-the-art Academy Training Centre in Nottingham.

June Appleyard, service manager at Jennings Kia in Washington, commented: “Ryan is one of three Apprentices we have taken on within the service department.  His hunger to learn new skills and his determination to succeed, was evident at the interview.  I’m sure he will successfully complete and thoroughly enjoy the programme.”

Jennings Motor Group currently has 22 Apprentices working in various departments, including service, sales, parts, accident repair and accounts, across the group.