On Wednesday 10 June, Arnold Clark’s Early Careers team welcomed 30 young people from the Army and Sea Cadets to a Career Taster Day at the company’s GTG Training Centre in Glasgow.
The Cadets, who are members of West Lowland Battalion and Glasgow & Lanarkshire Battalion Army Cadet Force, as well as the Clydebank branch of the Sea Cadet Corps, were invited to learn about the vast array of apprenticeship and long-term career opportunities available within Arnold Clark. They were then able to further explore some of those opportunities through a series of hands-on activities, both in the workshop and in customer-facing roles.
Arnold Clark, which is the UK’s largest independently owned automotive retailer, received the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Gold Award in 2022 for its outstanding support of the Armed Forces Community, having pledged to provide additional training leave and flexibility for Reservists, as well as fair employment opportunities to veterans and service leavers.
Having now expanded into hosting careers events for Cadets, Arnold Clark has proven its ongoing dedication to being a Gold-standard Forces-friendly employer. Working in partnership with Lowland RFCA and several other organisations, the company is helping to bridge the gap between education and employment for young people leaving their Cadet units and schools – giving them the opportunity to showcase their many practical skills and personal qualities to potential future employers.
The day began with an ice-breaking exercise in the form of a quiz, which immediately sparked the Cadets’ competitive spirits, and saw Glasgow & Lanarkshire Battalion’s Cadet Lance Corporal Logan Wylie win a stylish pair of Arnold Clark sunglasses.
Following the initial exercise and an introductory talk on the history and structure of Arnold Clark, the Cadets divided into four groups to take on a full day of classroom and workshop-based tasks. While two groups, suited and booted with protective equipment, got to grips with activities such as puncture repairs and panel polishing, the other two groups expanded their knowledge on various car parts and exercises designed to test their teamwork and communication skills.
Once all the groups had taken their turns at each task, the Cadets regrouped for a Q&A panel with Arnold Clark staff members, all at differing stages of their careers and from different departments within the company. Each panel member offered valuable insights into Arnold Clark’s recruitment and career development process, highlighting the wide range of roles available beyond selling cars, including Administration, Digital, Aftersales Customer Support, Parts and Bodyshop and Team Management.
‘We spent the morning seeing which different car parts we could name, and then played the telephone game to see how well we could listen and communicate with each other,’ said Cadet Sergeant Bhatia of Glasgow & Lanarkshire Battalion’s D Troop Royal Highland Fusiliers (RHF). ‘It’s been really interesting and quite good fun, and I’m really looking forward to the garage and workshop activities in the afternoon as I’m hoping to become a mechanic in the future.’
Cadet Kilpatrick from the Battalion’s A Troop Royal Artillery (RA) was equally excited by the activities on offer throughout the day, commenting: ‘The games and exercises we tried out this morning showed me how important communication is when working with a team, as well as how challenging it can be sometimes.
‘I’d like to be an aeronautical engineer in the future so it’s great to be able to come along to a company like Arnold Clark, see how many different jobs they offer and what skills they can help you develop.’
After a much-needed break for lunch, the Cadets continued their rotation of tasks across the workshop and training room, ensuring that everyone got to try their hand at each activity. Even with such a busy morning already behind them, the Cadets approached every task with great confidence and enthusiasm, demonstrating a willingness to learn and the ability to follow instructions throughout.
The day rounded off with a presentation covering the various apprenticeship opportunities available at Arnold Clark and a final Q&A session, this time with insights provided by three current apprentices working within the company. The panellists, all of whom were at different stages in their apprenticeships, outlined the nature of their work, the qualifications they would gain at the end of their placements, and how those qualifications would benefit their future careers, as well as paying tribute to the trainers and mentors supporting them at every stage of the journey.
‘It was a pleasure to welcome so many young Cadets to our Taster Day and provide them with a meaningful insight into life at Arnold Clark,’ said Jen Miller, Early Careers Operations Manager.
‘The session offered an excellent opportunity for them to learn more about our organisation, meet members of our team, and gain a better understanding of the wide range of apprenticeship opportunities available across the business.
‘Throughout the day, the Cadets were able to explore potential career pathways, ask questions, and hear first-hand about the skills, support, and development opportunities that apprenticeships can offer. We hope the experience helped to inspire their future ambitions and left them feeling more informed and confident as they consider their next steps.’
Reflecting on the day’s talks and activities, Cadet Lance Corporal Omar Kafere of Glasgow & Lanarkshire’s A Troop RA said: ‘It’s been a lot of fun learning to work as a team with Cadets from both my own unit and other units that I’ve never met before, and I think I’d really like to work for a company like Arnold Clark one day.’
