Victoria Evans of Esprit Windscreen Repair Equipment shares the advantages of obtaining its windscreen repair training course with the IMI, and why it decided to develop it.
If you run a workshop or garage, you need to train your staff and you might be thinking about attending IMI accredited courses. So what’s the advantage of these courses, and what would it bring to your business? We have always offered our own training with the purchase of a windscreen repair kit; people can come to our training suite in Staffordshire, or we can visit them at their premises.
We had developed our own training which did a great job of preparing people to repair screens or refresh their knowledge if they hadn’t carried out repairs for a while. A few years ago, we decided to formalise the training that we offered and so we worked with the IMI to develop the only accredited windscreen repair training course currently on the market.
There are a number of excellent advantages of obtaining the IMI course. Firstly, having the repair course independently audited means our customers – and the end customer – can be sure that the training is rigorous and complete and meets the competency requirements required in the windscreen repair industry. The qualification is widely recognised throughout the industry and is portable. If repairers move to a new place of employment, they can show this IMI qualification and it will be recognised by a new employer. For independent repairers/ sole traders, the IMI accreditation reassures their end customer that the repair is being conducted by someone correctly trained and who follows the procedures.
It also shows that the repairer has reached a sufficiently high standard so their employers know that they have a level of expertise that they can use in their employment. Being independent is meaningful as there is an industry standard which you immediately know the repairer has reached.
In terms of becoming an accredited supplier of the course, it was a rigorous process, confirming the high standards set by the IMI. We had to submit our training records for review and our training facility was assessed to ensure that training would be carried out correctly. We also have to maintain policies and procedures for example to ensure that feedback can be given, best practice incorporated and to ensure that our trainers are well trained and audited. It’s a thorough process, but that makes the accreditation meaningful to our customers.
Our IMI accredited course covers, in detail, the windscreen chip repair process and it windscreen standards in depth and health and safety. It’s a three-hour course with a short test at the end to ensure that the information has all been understood. Our customers then receive a certificate. If this sounds like something you or your staff would be interested in, get in touch with us to find out more about our various training options. The IMI offers a huge number of training courses for employees in the motor industry and we’re big believers in developing technical knowledge and using examinable skills to develop your career – and to provide the best service you can to customers.
