Developed by the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) and backed by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, the Professional Register will act as a ‘Voluntary Licence to Practise’ for individuals working in the retail automotive industry, with an overall aim of representing the standard for professional competence.
Representing individuals who have proved they have the right skills, knowledge and competence to practise professionally within the automotive retail industry, professionals maintain their place on the register either by committing to continuing professional development (CPD) or by maintaining a competency based accreditation in Automotive Technician Accreditation (ATA) or Automotive Management Accreditation (AMA).
What is available to the public?
Customers and consumers will be able to search for registered professionals using data such as name, town, region etc. They will also be able to view credentials that show individuals are qualified and up-to-date with the skills in their chosen area of speciality.
Who will be on the register?
The Professional Register will comprise of individuals from the automotive industry who either hold a recognised automotive accreditation (ATA /AMA) or have demonstrated their commitment to automotive professionalism through membership. In April 2013, all current ATA and AMA accredited individuals and IMI members will be migrated onto the register.
How do individuals maintain their registration? 
There are two routes on to the Professional Register: Accreditation and Membership.
Accreditation
Individuals can stay on the register by maintaining their ATA or AMA accreditation, which demonstrates their proof of current competency. Accreditation must then be renewed every three years through ATA update modules, full reassessment or progression in an ATA discipline or AMA level.
Membership
Professionals can maintain registration through IMI Membership by fulfilling the following conditions:
- Keeping knowledge and skills up-to-date through participation in relevant CPD and meeting the 90 CPD credit target over a three year cycle.
- Maintaining an up-to-date and accurate record of CPD activity using the IMI online CPD management tool, MyCPD.
Additionally all registered individuals, from all entry routes, must behave in an ethical manner and comply to the IMI Code of Conduct.
Achieving the CPD credit target (IMI Members)
CPD covers the whole spectrum of automotive learning. Learning on the job, reading a relevant journal or article, or attending a conference all count towards CPD – it’s not just the formal training courses you attend. So the target should be achievable to anyone, regardless of job role, as long as they are pro-active about increasing their skills and knowledge.
IMI CPD Portfolio
To support the Professional Register, CPD courses have been developed with the motor industry in mind and are delivered by specialist training providers and vehicle manufacturers. These courses are designed to ensure that learning and up-skilling opportunities are available to everyone in the automotive industry regardless of role, budget and time pressures.
Courses are available face-to-face at locations throughout the UK, via workshops and online through innovative webinars and e-learning. The training material has been developed to cover skills needs, identified by extensive IMI research into the retail automotive industry.
CREDIT WHERE IT’S DUE!
Still not sure what CPD involves or how it is relevant to you? Here are some examples of things you can earn CPD for and their credit value:
IMI CPD COURSES
– Hybrid Vehicle Technology – E-learning: A look at different hybrid models, components, operation & structure of series, parallel and combined hybrids, and hybrid vehicle safety = 8 CPD credits/2 hours learning
– Mercedes Benz Alternative Drive Technology: An overview of current alternative drive technology and future possibilities used in MercedesBenz passenger cars and smart vehicles at Milton Keynes training centre = 17 CPD Credits/1 day learning
– Sales Process –Six Steps To Significant Sales Growth & Profitability: This equips participants with a comprehensive overview of the customer buying experience and the necessary skills to produce effective Sales Process capabilities that persist over a period of time = 13 CPD Credits/1 day learning
NON-IMI ACCREDITED CPD
These activities would be loosely based on hours spent undertaking CPD. The technician is then required to provide evidence to show how it is relevant to their job role. Items involved include:
- Attending a job relevant conference – such as the MechanEx regional trade show – for 5 hours = 5 CPD Credits
- Reading a copy of PMM or relevant trade publication for 1 hour = 1 CPD Credit
- Undertaking a 2-day Bosch training course = 14 CPD Credits (7 hours per day)
DEMONSTRATING RELEVANCE
A small amount of written evidence is required when entering CPD for credits, explaining the general contents of the course. However, extra credits can be obtained by demonstrating, through the provision of extra information, how CPD has been implemented in the workplace. For instance you may have attended a customer service CPD course and re-designed your reception area as a result or undertaken diagnostic training and started offering this as a new service in your garage. Providing this information can add up to 5 extra credits for any piece of training.
The Professional Register will be available for public viewing from April 2013 and can be accessed at www.imiregister.org.uk
