Are your technicians accredited?

Two leading automotive organisations will work together during 2016 to ensure the industry continues to have the skills and expertise to flourish in the future – and that those skills are respected.

The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) and the Society of Operations Engineers (SOE) have pledged to work closely together to formalise skills assessment and training for technicians working on buses, lorries and other heavy vehicles.

Ian Chisholm, managing director of the SOE, said, ‘The need for professionalism is a big issue currently facing the heavy vehicle sector of the UK’s road transport industry, and only roughly 15% of the 30,000 technicians employed in this sector are accredited under the irtec Heavy Vehicle Accreditation scheme.

‘Having no mandatory independent system of accreditation for those who work on heavy vehicles means a decrease in public safety.

‘It also means firms are not able to maximise their profit margins through minimising unnecessary down time.’

The IMI and the SOE will together deliver irtec Heavy Vehicle Accreditation, assessing the expertise of those working on commercial and passenger-carrying vehicles and trailers.

IMI CEO Steve Nash, said, ‘As automotive technology continues to evolve, there is an increased need for skilled and competent professionals to work on these vehicles.

‘By investing in irtec Accreditation for their employees, business owners can be assured that technicians’ productivity will increase, as will their first-time fix rate.

‘IMI and SOE are passionate about professionalising the motor industry and those who work within it.’