IMI News

IMI’s ‘Big Wins’ aim to make a difference to CV industry

CV Show will be a “valuable sounding board” for the Sector Skills Council

A package of measures to help employers in the commercial vehicle sector improve their businesses by developing their workforce skills has been pledged by the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI), which is exhibiting for the first time at this year’s Commercial Vehicle Show.

Having been licensed by the government as a Sector Skills Council (SSC) for the retail automotive industry in the latter part of 2007, the IMI has a wide remit to help improve businesses in the commercial vehicle sector, through a better trained, better qualified and more recognised workforce. To do this, the IMI is focusing on five ‘Big Wins’:

Young People (14-19 provision)
Working with schools, colleges and training providers to encourage young people with aptitude and enthusiasm to choose careers in the automotive industry. The IMI is responsible for developing apprenticeships, diplomas and other qualifications, in line with the needs of the commercial vehicle sector.

Adult learning
Helping employers to improve the skills of their employees to improve businesses, by enabling them to achieve national qualifications and develop their basic skills, wherever possible with funding support from government initiatives such as Train to Gain. The IMI is able to connect employers with regional Skills Brokers who can visit them for a free consultation, to identify and discuss training needs, arrange training providers and wherever possible, secure funding.

Careers
The IMI is developing information resources and structured career paths in partnership with employers to ensure that there is an opportunity for people to make informed choices about a career. Helping the sector improve levels of staff retention and apprenticeship completion rates is also a key part of this work.
          

Management and leadership
Today’s managers are potentially tomorrow’s leaders and improving the skills to manage more effectively and deliver better bottom-line performance is a key objective for the IMI. The development of a sector-specific management accreditation scheme will form part of the IMI’s strategy to make demonstrable progress in this important area.

Qualifications fit for purpose
As part of its SSC licence, the IMI has to implement a Sector Qualifications Strategy which will form a new employer-led landscape for qualifications and training from September 2009. Over the past six months the IMI has held a number of forums to identify the views of employers and training providers in the commercial vehicle sector, which have been included in the IMI’s proposals to government.

Speaking on the IMI’s desire to support the commercial vehicle sector, Sarah Sillars, IMI Chief Executive, said:

“We’ve been given a tremendous opportunity to make a difference to the commercial vehicle sector by working with employers and stakeholders to raise the skills bar, which will give a return to businesses. Our first visit to the CV Show will be a very valuable sounding board for us to listen to employers and discuss skills issues, as well as setting out our stall to show people how we can help support them.”

To help the IMI deliver its ‘Big Wins’, it has recruited a network of National Managers in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to work with employers. Among them is a former member of IVECO’s training team, Ian Hissey, who has recently joined the IMI as one of its National Managers for England.

For further information on IMI representation across the UK, please click here http://www.motor.org.uk/nations-and-regions/index.html

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