Colchester Institute student Faye was beginning to lose hope of ever finding the apprenticeship she needed to complete her three-year vehicle maintenance course after receiving more than 200 knock-backs from garages.

Reasons for rejection included ‘we don’t employ women in our ‘workshop’, ‘you’ll be too worried you’ll chip your nail varnish’, ‘you’d be better suited to a job on reception’ and ‘we just don’t have the facilities for women’.

But after sending us a very eye catching letter, she was offered a trial and, after impressing us, was taken on full-time as an Apprentice Motor Vehicle Technician.

Now, an excited Faye has been enrolled on the SEAT Advanced Apprenticeship Programme – one of the most respected training schemes of its kind – at the Volkswagen Group’s state-of-the-art National Learning Centre.

And, after finally earning the confidence of a forward-thinking employer, she has regained her ambition and is once again determined to work her way through the ranks to become a SEAT Master Technician.

An excited Faye said: ‘I’ve wanted to be a technician since I was about 14 when I started hanging about with people who were really into their cars but, I was beginning to give up hope of ever finding an apprenticeship.

‘I sent out so many CVs and got nowhere and people were often really blatant about the reasons why they didn’t want to hire me. On one occasion I was told by a garage that they had no vacancies only to discover they’d given an apprenticeship to one of my classmates at college a few days later.

‘It’s absolutely brilliant to be at Grants where they value all their employees and treat everybody equally. There’s just a really nice atmosphere and everyone genuinely gets along.

‘I’m learning loads here and am really enjoying getting to work on all the cars in the range and using all the latest equipment. It’s also brilliant being on the SEAT Advanced Apprenticeship Programme and the facilities they have and the way they teach is just amazing.’

Our Managing Director, Darren Williams, said: ‘It absolutely beggars belief to hear some of the comments made to Faye as she tried to pursue her dream career.

‘The reasons people gave for not employing her would have been totally unacceptable decades ago but in this day and age they’re absolutely outrageous. Thankfully though, they’re not representative of the modern motor industry.

‘We were absolutely delighted to give Faye a shot but giving her a job was no sympathy vote – she earned it. She was really impressive on her trial and since joining the team, her enthusiasm and willingness to learn has really shone through.

‘Now she’s started her training properly on an industry-leading apprenticeship programme I’m sure she has a very bright future.’

Anthony Aldridge, a qualified Technician at Grants SEAT, said: ‘Having Faye join the dealership has been no different to when anyone else comes on board.

‘She’s been a really great addition to the team and is getting on really well.’

I'm sure you'll join us in wishing Faye the very best of luck for the future!