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Announcing a tenfold increase in the number of bookings for its IMI Level 4 electric/hybrid vehicle courses, Autotech Training has also revealed that 75% of its sister company, Autotech Recruit’s entire network of contractors will be qualified to work on electric vehicles by the end of the year.
The announcement comes on the eve of World EV Day (Friday 9th September) and follows recent reports from the IMI that increasing numbers of vehicle technicians are upskilling to manage the acceleration of electric vehicles on the road.
A global movement, World EV Day was created to observe the transition to sustainable transport, and the focus this year will be on celebrating sustainable mobility.
While the uptake of electric transport continues to soar, there have been many calls from automotive industry leaders, including both Autotech Training and The IMI, to regulate training to safeguard anyone who works around or on electric vehicles.
Certified to deliver IMI accredited Levels 1-4 electric/hybrid vehicle training courses, Autotech Training opened its dedicated EV Training Suite in 2021, with over 1,000 people completing an EV training course to date.
Significantly, the breadth of sectors and companies demanding all levels of EV training is expanding beyond the automotive aftermarket and EV vehicle manufacturers. “We are seeing rising numbers of organisations who are electrifying their fleets contact us for EV training,” comments Colin Gleghorn, Managing Director of Autotech Training. “From hire companies, taxi firms, the EV sports sector, battery manufacturers, local authorities, and overseas governments with no local provider. This is encouraging as it demonstrates the importance employers are placing on EV training to safeguard their employees.”
Autotech Training are certified to deliver all IMI Levels 1-4 EV training courses on the premises of any business or garage to minimise downtime and keep travel costs to a minimum. “Being as flexible as possible is key to our approach,” continues Colin. “We understand the time pressures and demands on businesses and our experienced cohort of trainers can bring all four IMI courses to the customer along with an electric vehicle for hands on learning. We have been known to deliver training across weekends and on bank holidays to suit the client.
The bottom line is, it is vital that people are upskilled and are equipped with the relevant EV knowledge and certification which is specific to their needs.”
In fact, Autotech Training reports that 60% of all its EV training courses over the last 12 months have been delivered on clients’ premises.
“World EV Day is the ideal time to celebrate the rising number of people who have received electric vehicle training, while continuing to raise awareness of the fact that, unless training is undertaken, it’s only a matter of time before a vehicle technician or anyone working on an EV is injured and an employer finds themselves liable.”
While part of the steering group to advise The IMI on course content, which will soon include the revision of the Level 4 course to make it more accessible and practical to learners, Autotech Group’s CEO, Gavin White, also sits on The IMI’s TechSafe™ Sector Advisory Group which is helping to drive forward the Electrified Vehicle Professional Standard.