Case Study: Graham Ellis

Southampton businessman one of the first to jon the IMI's Professional Register

Graham Ellis, Managing Director of Ellis Transport Services, from Chandler's Ford in Southampton, has become one of the first to join the Institute of the Motor Industry's Professional Register.

The IMI is the professional body responsible for raising standards in the industry and this year launched the Professional Register. The register represents individuals who are operating to the highest professional standards. It is for IMI members who have proven that they have the right qualifications and knowledge to practice professionally within the automotive sector and continually maintain their professional standards by committing to and carrying out continuing professional development (CPD).

Graham has been a member of the IMI for 35 years so the Professional Register was the ideal next step for him. Graham has been running his own company for 15 years and is a fully automotive trained engineer with the qualifications to prove it. He is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Transport.

As part of his continuing professional development Graham is currently working with two local authorities on sustainable transport and recently attended a European conference in Lyon. He agrees that CPD is the way forward as the technology he was trained on is no longer relevant, and with technology changing so fast Graham knows he needs to keep his skills up to date.

Graham believes that IMI membership has brought him benefits as it gave him access to qualifications and allowed him to work on areas that would help improve the image of the industry. Throughout his career Graham has always encouraged students to join the IMI as he believes it is good for their career. It gives students access to information and networks that could help form their fledgling careers too.

Graham said: "Customers see a level of professionalism from IMI members. The fact that I have letters after my name shows people I am trained and that there is a code of conduct in place. When they see that, they know that I'm prepared as a person and I am correctly qualified.

"Keeping your skills up to date is very important especially since 2008 when the hybrid cars came on the scene. I'm working with the local skills board looking at hybrid training schemes and in all technologies as they are changing fast therefore CPD is important. I also feel that apprenticeships are vital to the industry. Hampshire is launching a new scheme where apprentices are not employed by the dealer but by a training agency. They are then leased out to the dealerships so it's not such a big commitment. Schemes like this and the Professional Register are ideal to progress skills within the motor industry."