Chery Group partners with Nottingham College to strengthen UK automotive talent pipeline

At Nottingham College's Ruddington campus, it will deliver a range of adult technical training programmes for Chery Group's existing workforce and new recruits. The partnership has been designed to "create a sustainable pipeline of talent to support the automotive industry's longer term employment needs".

Amongst the courses that will be delivered on campus will be IMI-accredited electric vehicle training, a body repair programme, fundamental electrics courses and technical introductions to the brand.

Chery Group will work with Nottingham College to develop both online and face-to-face learning pathways in order to support technicians as they progress towards Master Technician status.

"We are incredibly proud to be supporting one of the UK's fastest-growing automotive manufacturers as it continues to expand its presence and invest in the future of its retailer network," said Maxine Blake, head of business development at EMTEC Nottingham College. "This partnership reflects a shared commitment to developing talent, creating sustainable career opportunities and supporting economic growth through high-quality skills development."

The two-way relationship will also see Chery Group support Nottingham College by sponsoring vehicle ramps and apprentice workwear at the college's Highfields campus.

Read more: Chery bets on UK localisation with Sunderland assembly and logistics expansion

Chery is expanding its UK logistics strategy with Sunderland assembly, faster shipping, dedicated transport capacity and supply chain partnerships to support rapid growth.

"Collaborating with the fantastic team here at Nottingham College, we now have a professional technical training base with the facilities, experience and educational standards needed to support our UK dealer network," said Luke Garratt, UK technical training manager at Chery Group.

"The future of our partnership is more than just working in classrooms and the amount of courses we deliver," Garratt added. "It's about providing an industry-leading training academy, supporting dealers with the skills they need today and delivering the people who will represent our brands tomorrow."

This investment in securing a sustainable skills pipeline in the UK shows Chery Group's commitment to expansion in the UK. This kind of commitment extends beyond just the dealer network – Chery Group has invested in talent both at its Omoda and Jaecoo headquarters in London and its new Chery Commercial Vehicle headquarters in Liverpool, as Catherine Zhu, logistics director for the UK at Omoda and Jaecoo, told Automotive Logistics earlier this year.

"The logic is that we are scaling fast and we are building the capability in every sense to really support that scale," said Zhu.

Chery Commercial Vehicle's new European headquarters in the UK

Chery Group announced in January 2026 that Chery Commercial Vehicle will establish its first European headquarters in Liverpool.

This new headquarters is expected to create jobs in Liverpool across engineering, software development, R&D and operational roles, while expanding opportunities for local suppliers within the advanced manufacturing supply chain.

"Chery Commercial Vehicle’s landmark decision to base its European headquarters in our city region is a fantastic vote of confidence in our advanced manufacturing and green innovation sectors," said Steve Rotheram, mayor of the Liverpool City Region. "This move will create high quality jobs and long-term economic benefits, helping to further strengthen our region’s reputation at the forefront of cleaner, smarter transport."

Chery Group's approach to the UK – Gong Yueqiong, general manager of Chery Commercial Vehicle, explained – reflects its confidence in the UK’s talent, infrastructure and commitment to green technology.

"Our ‘In UK, For UK, Be UK’ strategy reflects our belief that true globalisation comes from deep localisation," said Yueqiong. "By recruiting local talent, collaborating with UK institutions and adapting to local needs, we aim to become a valued contributor to the UK’s automotive industry and economy."

Following this announcement, Chery Group confirmed that it will soon begin producing vehicles in the UK, after Chery and Nissan signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore contract manufacturing at Nissan's Sunderland plant.