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Technician training scheme
Page 8
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7 receives a welcome boost By Brian Weathertey THE INSTITUTE of Road Transport Engineers/SOE has teamed up with the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) in a move that will see the current irtec HGV technician certification scheme gain greater momentum in the road transport industry.
Under the deal with the IMI (the govemment-recognised Sector Skills Council for the automotive industry), truck operators and workshops looking to put fitters and technicians through the irtec scheme are also likely to gain greater access to funding.
While IRTE will stay responsible for irtec standards, and, in particular, testing, the IMI will help administer the HGV technician certification process, as it already does of its own Automotive Technician Accreditation scheme. As part of the process, IRTE also wants to ensure greater clarity among those firms and truck manufacturers that already provide vehicle technician training as to which of their thirdparty courses will fall within the scope of the irtec syllabus.
IRTE chief executive Nick Jones insists that the value of the irtec scheme lies in the fact that "it's a competence test, whereas an NVQ is an evidence-gathering process".
Jones also defends the idea that, unlike other qualifications, an irtec licence requires recertification after a specific period of time (typically three to five years), "because technology is always changing". IRTE council member and former DHL Exel Supply Chain engineering director John Parry is keen to see the irtec scheme extended further to subcontractors. "We've already talked to the Traffic Commissioners about this. We need proof of the level of competence of sub-contractors." Parry adds that the irtec scheme "allows us to examine the performance of members.
"If need be, we could withdraw accreditation. it also gives the IRTE a suite of training courses at a higher level."
CM will be looking at these developments with the irtec scheme in a forthcoming issue.
• For more information, go to www.irtec.org.uk