Bentley Motors has announced its plans to expand its production at its headquarters in Crewe and develop its facility with the addition of over 140 new jobs.
Recruitment includes 90 skilled engineers and 51 new apprentices, the biggest single apprentice intake in ten years.
The announcement follows on from Bentley's record year in 2013, delivering 10,120 cars, the highest in the company's 95-year history, and aim to reach 15,000 cars by 2018.
90 new engineers will work on an expanding model range, as part of a £800 million investment over three years on model and facility development. This will be in a number of engineering disciplines, including Chassis, Powertrain, Electrical, Body and Trim and Whole Vehicle.
Strengthening Bentley's skill base not only in the immediate, but long-term will see the recruitment of 51 new apprentices in the 2014 intake. 40 of these will be part of a new dedicated manufacturing scheme focused on strengthening core skills as Bentley builds up to the introduction of the Bentley SUV, in 2016.
Bentley's new manufacturing apprentice approach sees the introduction of dual education; a tailored method to vocational training based on competence profiles and dedicated placements within chosen professional areas in Manufacturing. Forming part of Bentley's biggest focus on training and development, it is a significant step in the company's overall people and development strategy.
Bentley's engineers bring together anything from traditional skills associated with natural materials with the latest developments in powertrain technologies. An example of which Bentley recently displayed with the Bentley Hybrid Concept, while committing that 90% of Bentley's production will be available with a plug-in hybrid option by the end of the decade.
The new engineers will help develop a new generation of Bentleys, which will share the same commitment to performance, quality and engineering excellence. Bentley is not just creating a new segment with the Bentley SUV, but developing its current model range, innovating with new products and new markets.
Bentley was recently named as one of Britain's Top Employers for the third year running by the Top Employers Institute. Highlighted was Bentley's dedication to the personal development, working environment and employee culture of the 3,700 colleagues who work at the Crewe headquarters.
