Groupe Renault has become the first vehicle manufacturer to join the NFDA’s Drive My Career initiative through its Renault and Dacia brands.

Drive My Career is a web-based tool that aims to encourage younger people to consider a job in automotive retail, and ultimately aims to improve the perception of automotive retail as a career path.

Groupe Renault dealers will be represented on the interactive job map on drivemycareer.co.uk which helps younger people search for job opportunities and training schemes near them by postcode.

National Franchised Dealers Association director, Sue Robinson (pictured), said: “It is extremely positive to see that Renault UK has seen the value in Drive My Career and has signed up all NFDA retailer members’ sites to help promote the career opportunities available in the automotive retail sector.

Since launch, the website has seen a significant increase in traffic due to targeted, specific marketing campaigns across a number of different channels including email, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.

The number of people visiting the website has grown to more than 3,500 in the last 30 days. With the addition of the Groupe Renault sites in the UK, the website will be able to display 850 sites from 61 different retailer groups.

Robinson said: “Despite all the different, exciting career paths the industry offers, automotive retail can lose many talented young people due to the lack of information about the range of roles available and the potential for career development. With Drive My Career, the whole industry has come together in a unique way and one that will enable retailers to connect with the workforce of the future.”

Groupe Renault’s director of total customer experience, Mark Crockett, said: “We’re very excited to be the first manufacturer involved in this great project.

"We’re always looking to support our dealers in the recruitment of their staff, particularly when there is an opportunity to attract young people to our network.

“They will find themselves in an exciting and dynamic environment, working closely with Renault’s line-up of electric cars and learning about the latest driver assistance systems.

"Renault UK offers a variety of career paths that include our established apprenticeship programmes in technical and parts, and our recently launched customer service apprenticeship programme.”