We caught up with Andy to discuss his achievement and find out his thoughts about the IMI’s Automotive Trainer Professional Recognition Standard.
Can you tell us a little bit about your background in the sector?
I am a technical trainer, race car engineer and diagnostic technician. I started in the industry via a Youth Training Scheme in 1987, so I’ve been in the industry for 27 years, including a stint in the army which ended in 2001.
Why did you become a member of the IMI?
After leaving the army in 2001, I wanted to find a way of demonstrating the skills and knowledge I had to potential employers, and the IMI seemed the best way I could do this. It provided the professional recognition necessary to show I was serious about my chosen career.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
At HJR we have built a multi-facetted business around our diagnostic expertise. As a result, my job has a great deal of variety to keep me interested! In any given week I could be teaching, writing seminars, investigating systems at a race circuit or diagnosing vehicle faults for customers. No day is the same and I am passionate about what I do.
What made you go for the advanced level of the IMI Automotive Trainer Professional Recognition Standards?
I wanted to differentiate myself from other technical trainers that may not have suitable qualifications, experience and procedures in place to achieve the Standards. I also felt that prospective clients would be reassured that I have been verified as meeting the independent standards of the IMI. I also wanted to know if the systems I put in place for my own courses met the IMI’s standards.
I have already benefitted from the process. I have now refined my quality control process and spend more time reflecting on the courses I put together. The constant amendments I make as a result ensure my training is always improving.
Do you see any further benefits going forward?
Long term, I think the benefit will be added credibility. When I contact companies about training they will know that I am competent and professional, thanks to my achievements with the IMI.
What was involved in the assessment process?
I had to provide evidence of how I met the various criteria set out by the IMI to meet the Standard. This evidence demonstrated that I am a professional and competent trainer. In particular, the advanced level asks you to prove that you are capable of understanding the business needs of employers and of developing and delivering training solutions to address them. I had to produce case studies alongside my certificates and CPD logs to demonstrate this.
Would you recommend the Standards to other members?
Undoubtedly! I think if you are a trainer or an assessor, you should look into the Standards and if you feel you meet the criteria, then go for it. If you don’t meet them think about how you can. You can always use your Professional Register CPD activities to rectify any shortfalls - the process is sure to make you a better trainer!
What would you say are the biggest challenges facing teachers and trainers today?
For me it is the pace of change within the industry and the need to keep up with the latest technology. The complexity of the modern vehicle is being driven by a number of factors, but by far the biggest changes have been due to emissions regulations and the desire to produce less CO2. There have been dramatic changes in diesel and petrol engines over the past 10 years, not least in the electronic systems that control them. The increasing popularity of hybrid and electric vehicles will only add to this. It’s vital that the training resources are in place to allow automotive technicians to maintain these vehicles properly.
This is a real challenge for those of us involved in providing the training. It’s essential that we remain on the cutting edge of technology if we are to remain relevant and useful to the sector.
Has your experience of completing CPD for the IMI Professional Register added value and benefitted you and your organisation?
Taking the ostrich approach and burying your head in the sand will not help you fix modern vehicles. It may seem the easy option and training may seem expensive, but how did you think the blacksmith felt when Henry Ford started turning out thousands of Model Ts? He either chose to reinvent himself or lost business – continuous learning is vital.
For me, keeping pace with the rate of technological change within the industry has meant investing long hours into training, reading and evaluating systems. I spend a lot of my time looking into systems, how they work and how to design a fault finding routine that will efficiently expose issues. CPD is vital to keep my business competitive. However, I like to think the main beneficiaries of my work are the delegates on the training courses I deliver!
How are you finding logging CPD for the IMI Professional Register?
I keep a record of most of my CPD for the Professional Register on the IMI website. I tend to log formal training with recognised qualifications as CPD, and in recent years, this has more than satisfied the minimum requirement. However, if you are like me, you will probably find that a lot of activities you undertake on a day-to-day basis would also count as CPD!
Recently on holiday I read a book about psychology and I have since put together a seminar about the thinking process and how it affects vehicle diagnosis – so CPD can crop up in the most unexpected of places!
If, as an automotive trainer, you don’t have a nationally-recognised training qualification, consider the IMI Trainer Skills Assessment. It’s a simple way to gain recognition for your subject knowledge and training skills, whilst providing a route to the IMI Automotive Trainer and Assessor Professional Recognition Standards. If you'd like to find out more, please get in touch.
Tel: +44 (0) 1992 519025
Email: imimembers@theimi.org.uk