License fitters
Page 101
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• Garage mechanics and engineers should be "licensed" or "certificated" — that's the view of the Institute of the Motor Industry.
Eric Fountain, chairman of the council of the IMI, says: "Today's technology requires a high level of expertise within garages and the need for individuals to keep constantly up to date."
The motor industry is determined to constantly improve the service it gives to customers, he says, and this move will be a most significant move towards that end.
The decision was taken at a council meeting. Afterwards Fountain explained that the institute had been debating for some time how best to identify qualified mechanics and promote greater pride in professionalism.
"We clearly have a number of hurdles to overcome before we announce our final plans," he said. All members have been written to with an explanation of the proposals and requests for their views. Once these have been collated, the institute will complete discussions with the relevant government departments and other organisations with a view to implementing the proposals quickly.
The proposal in outline, Workshop is told, is to establish a qualification Licensed Automotive Engineer (LAE) or Certificated Automotive Engineer (CAE), whichever is most acceptable to the membership and Government.
• The LAE would equate to NCVQ level III and the National Craft Certificate.
• The Senior Licensed Automotive Engineer (SLAE) would probably equate to NCVQ level V. when determined, and would identify the person technically competent to supervise a fair-sized workshop, or an insurance assessor and so on.
The IMI also proposes a student or graduate grade for those studying for the qualification. Membership of the institute would be a prerequisite.
As examples, a person with the letters LAE (or CAE) AMIMI after his/her name might be a qualified workshop technician; a person with the letters LAE (CAE) MIMI might identify a parts manager who is also a qualified technician.
Any member holding a current TEng qualification would automatically be accepted for SLAE registration.
IMI director general Roy Ward told Workshop: "These proposals, of course, apply to both petrol and diesel engineers; specialisms will develop later. We need more qualified people on the technical side — we must raise their status."
• In the first three months of this year more than 1,000 people applied across the board to J0111 the IMI.