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Educational organizations in road transport the IMI
Page 226
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AT first sight the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) appears to have little connection with commercial road transport either in the road haulage or passenger sectors. The links are, however, much closer. In terms of membership, the IMI is not greatly relevant to commercial road transport; there are 175 members from road haulage and public service vehicle operation from a total membership of 10,300. Additionally, there are 250 members who are in the transport sections of central and local government and this category includes a number of Ministry vehicle examiners and testers.
The main impact of the IMI to commercial road transport is as an example of the type and form of education and training in a closely allied sphere. The outline structure of the IMI examination is familiar—an intermediate and a final examination divided into various sections. From 1970, there will be no elections to membership unless IMI examinations have been passed, excepting a small number who have gained a diploma or degree in automobile engineering.
But the grades of membership are not automatically granted as a result of examination success. A Graduateship is normally awarded on the passing the final examination but election to Associate Membership can only be effective if a candidate has, additionally, held an executive position in the industry for at least five years. The latter condition is one which I would like to see adopted by the "traffic" institutes since it is a method of marking the award as a professional management qualification.
The first, or intermediate, examination has six different options which include (a) Motor Vehicle Technology and Workshop Practice (mechanical or electrical as separate options) and (b) Motor. Body Construction and Repair. These subjects are, of course, very relevant to commercial operation and the Institute of Road Transport Engineers (IRTE) has similar subjects in its Sections A and B. The IRTE and the IMI diverge in their final examination but in these first examinations, the IRTE fully recognizes the IMI awards and it is right and sensible that this co-ordination should take place.
It is interesting—in view of my comments a few weeks ago—that the IMI has no entrance qualification beyond discouraging obviously unsuitable applicants. But everyone must satisfy the IMI examiners, or equivalent bodies, in mathematics, science and motor vehicle knowledge before completing the intermediate examina tion.
The IMI has had a phenomenal growth rate in the last six years from under 4,000 to 10,300. The advantages of size and a large annual intake of examination candidates results in a nationwide cover of classes with, for example, places like Ashton-under-Lyne, Huntingdon, New-town (Montgomery), Yeovil, Inverness and a good Irish selection of centres providing regular courses at colleges. A number of colleges are even able to have sufficient candidates to arrange an "internal" form of examination with special papers set for that particular college—this a system being experimented with by IRTE and by the Institute of Traffic Administra
tion. The size of the IMI organization makes the holding of longer vacation management courses feasible and there are regular one-week courses at Cambridge (August) and at Ashridge (Easter). No fewer than 14 shorter management courses (from two to five days) have been organized between February and May of this year—the majority of these meeting on a residential basis in Egham (Surrey). The IMI has a large library service with the vital addition of an extensive postal service for students and members.
Thus, through the scale of its activities and its close relationships with the RTITB, IMI will continue to exert quite an influence on the form and development of education and training in the commercial sectors of road transport.