Volvo Car UK is launching a nationwide recruitment drive for 300 new technicians to join its 119-strong dealer network by 2020.

The Swedish brand aims to increase its technical talent by almost 50%, adding to the 600 existing dealership technicians to support the brand and meet the demands of the network as its sales continue to grow year-on-year.

The introduction of the new S90 and V90 helped the brand to grow its sales to 46,696 in 2016, up 7.52% on 2015’s 43,342.

As the brand’s car parc grows and it drives towards new autonomous drive and connectivity solutions, such as Pilot Assist, Volvo’s innovative semi-autonomous drive feature, Volvo said that “advanced technical knowledge is vital to keep customers’ cars in the best possible condition”.

The increased stream into Volvo’s dealership aftersales teams will see, on average, eight technicians per site by 2020, with fast-track development opportunities available through innovative web-based training and one-to-one assessments.

Volvo retailers offer this through a structured career path, leading to ongoing certifications and qualifications, which can start from Service Apprentice through to Volvo’s highest technical accolade, Master Technician.

Jon Wakefield, managing director, Volvo Car UK, commented: “Any technician joining Volvo will get the chance to work on exciting industry-leading technology, including autonomous drive, in-car connectivity and hybrid powertrains.

“For those looking to join our 600-strong team of technicians, our continued investment into our staff will allow them to progress their knowledge of new car technology, engineering and design – and grow alongside the Volvo brand.”

The recruitment news comes after the announcement of Volvo Car UK’s £6 million investment into a new state-of-the-art training centre in Daventry, to enhance further its successful apprenticeship and development schemes.

New technicians are needed at Volvo as it marks the next steps in Volvo’s Volvo Retail Experience (VRE) and Volvo Personal Service (VPS) programmes, both announced in 2015.

VRE, designed to create a space for customers in which high levels of visual transparency are key, creates an open and inclusive working environment where, as part of VPS, technicians can work alongside other technicians in multi-skilled teams, engaging with customers and managing their own relationships with Volvo owners.

As Volvo continues to change its retail landscape to keep pace with the evolving market, there is now also a need for a product specialist to work in all of Volvo’s soon-to-be network of state-of-the art UK dealerships. These specialists will further enrich the customer buying and ownership experience through their knowledge and insights, making customers’ lives less complicated through a human centric approach.