Automotive sector learning and development agency RTS Group is driving up its headcount by taking on four new staff.
The recruits at the Chippenham-based firm – Simon Snowdon, Debra Pitchford, Clare Campbell and Shaun Targett – will be working in its teams supporting Mazda, Nissan and Mercedes-Benz.
Simon Snowdon has been appointed programme and development consultant, working primarily on the Mercedes-Benz Van Talent programme.
He joined RTS Group after a 20-year career in the automotive industry, which started when he left school and took a five-year technicians’ apprenticeship.
The Mazda Academy, run by RTS Group, has been strengthened with the appointments of Clare Campbell and Debra Pitchford.
Clare has joined as lead consultant running the learning and development team. She has worked in automotive almost exclusively during her career, with her first role as a dealership service receptionist. She progressed to service manager before her career took her into administration, then onto training.
Debra has become network leadership consultant, helping stage Mazda Motors UK’s Challengers@Retail global cultural change programme in dealerships. Her career started in business development, supporting The Body Shop International franchisees, before she switched to financial services and then commercial underwriters. For both sectors she designed and delivered bespoke sales and behaviours training, with performance coaching support.
The fourth new team member is Shaun Targett. Shaun is a long-time associate of RTS Group, having joined the company full time as a training consultant, working with Nissan and delivering learning and development programmes both in the classroom and in the workplace for the brand’s dealerships.
He replaces Jeff Barnard, who has retired after a long career in the industry, which included running two dealerships, one of which he set up himself. Jeff will remain an associate with RTS.
Managing director Malcolm Miller said: “We’re delighted to welcome Simon, Clare and Debra, and also to have Shaun on board in a permanent role capacity. Automotive manufacturers understand the benefits of having staff in the dealerships who are passionate about their brands and who know how to enthuse their customers, and so drive up sales. At RTS Group, we are the specialists in developing frontline staff and our new recruits will help strengthen our offering.”
RTS Group was founded in 1989 and has been providing learning and development services to the automotive industry for 25 years.
It works across Europe, the Middle East, China and South Africa with clients such as Mercedes-Benz, Mazda and Nissan.
Pictured, from left: Debra Pitchford, Shaun Targett, Simon Snowdon and Clare Campbell
