Preparations for the Bodyshop Awards & Expo 2024 and this year’s 30 Under 30: Rising Stars are now in full swing.
Nominations officially closed on 31 March for Bodyshop Magazine’s two high-profile independent awards initiatives which recognise and celebrate the accident repair industry’s highest achievers and rising stars.
We have once again teamed up with 3M to jointly develop and deliver Bodyshop Magazine’s ever-popular 30 Under 30: Rising Stars programme, and we will soon be making further announcements regarding other key partnerships for the Bodyshop Awards & Expo 2024, which will take place on Thursday, 19 September at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole inside the NEC complex in Birmingham.
Bodyshop editor Simon Wait said of 3M’s central involvement: “Our 30 Under 30 initiative is one of my personal favourites, together with our apprentice, technician and repairer awards, because it clearly illustrates that the future of our industry is in in good hands. 3M’s dedication to developing and nurturing new and existing talent blends perfectly with our own vision for the industry.
“And teaming up once more with other forward-thinking organisations such as Vizion Network, Axalta, Repairify, Thatcham Research and Remit Training will advance the UK body repair industry’s most prestigious and longest-standing independent awards to yet another exciting level.
“In 2024, when Bodyshop Magazine celebrates its 37th birthday and the Awards are in their 28th year, we will stage the eighth edition of our 30 Under 30 initiative which was established in 2017 to mark the 30th anniversary of the magazine. Nothing else in our sector gets close to matching the heritage and prestige of the Bodyshop Awards,” he added.
30 Under 30 is a unique annual campaign to find 30 inspirational individuals who have achieved something special in their sector and are earmarked for future success. To qualify, nominees must be 30 years of age or under on 30 September 2024 and work within the UK collision repair industry. They can hold any job role within the repair sector supply chain, with past winners including apprentices and technicians, recruiters and reception staff, VDAs, bodyshop managers and business owners, suppliers, marketers and distributors, manufacturers, and many more.
Those who fit the criteria were able to nominate themselves or be entered by their peers, bosses and colleagues via our streamlined online nomination form. The final line-up of 30 winners, as chosen by an independent panel of industry experts, will be recognised during the Bodyshop Awards 2024 celebration in September.
Entries for both the 30 Under 30: Rising Stars and Bodyshop Awards 2024 opened on 1 December 2023 and nominations remained open for four months until 31 March 2024.
The line-up of major awards categories established in 1997 will continue once again next year and includes Technical Training Provider, Vehicle Manufacturer, Supply Chain Partner and Work Provider.
Bodyshop categories for 2024 will include the ever-popular Bodyshop Manager of the Year; best Bodyshop Group for multi-site operators; and Small, Medium and Large Bodyshop of the Year.
Also up for grabs are categories covering Technology and Innovation; Vehicle Damage Assessor; and Environmental Trailblazer.
The Technician and Apprentice Awards for skilled panel and paint technicians are all about promoting and recognising body repair and refinish excellence and inspiring the next generation of paint sprayers and panel techs to pursue a career in the industry.
The Advanced Technologies Technician of the Year category, which was introduced in 2022, is open to the very best MET and multi-skilled technicians who must hold a current qualification or accreditation at Level 3 or above in both EV and ADAS.
The independent assessment processes for panel, paint and advanced technologies technicians take place online and in-person in the summer of 2024 to ensure these Bodyshop Magazine categories remain unique within the crash repair industry. They are specifically designed for bodyshop employees working on the front line of repairs as MET, panel and paint technicians, some of whom will be experienced operators and some will be working towards their apprenticeship qualifications.
With the race to find our 2024 awards finalists under way, please look out for future issues of Bodyshop Magazine and visit www.bodyshopmag.com to stay up to date, meet our independent expert jury, and feel the Bodyshop Awards 2024 buzz as it builds throughout the year.
