Estimating Accreditation
The Estimator Accreditation and Systems Transparency initiatives were created to achieve two things. Firstly, to raise the standard of estimating and the status of estimators by establishing a rigorous and nationally recognised qualification for estimators on a par with the IAEA’s examination for insurance engineers. Secondly, to overcome the problem of major times inconsistencies which occurred between different estimating systems, even when inputting the same data.

Systems Transparency
The Systems Transparency team headed up by Jon Parker and working closely with Bruce Taylor has been investigating the issue of lack of data transparency and inconsistency of output between the various estimating systems.

Skills initiative
At our 2003 conference, after Steve Butler had finished a presentation on the industry’s skills shortage, David Lingham threw down a gauntlet challenging the industry stakeholders to do something about it. The gauntlet was picked up by a number of key players, and a meeting was set up by Steve Butler at Bodyshop Magazine’s offices.