Institute of the Motor Industry

Twelve inspirational apprentices from across the UK proved their mettle in a hotly fought test of automotive skills, and were crowned winners of the IMI Skill Auto competition held at the WorldSkills UK Live exhibition, NEC, Birmingham.

That competition matters to a Luton workshop because it shows the standard the Institute of the Motor Industry sets for people who work on cars for a living. Skill under a clock, in front of judges, is the same pressure a technician feels when a customer is waiting and the fault is not obvious.

At Wigmore MOT Centre our technicians are skilled and qualified through the IMI. That qualification sits behind the everyday jobs: a major, interim or minor service, a Class 4 MOT, a diagnostic trace through the vehicle’s sensors and microchips, a steering rack, or a clutch that has started to slip.

We have looked after the local community since 1982, including prestigious marques and hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Training is how that range stays honest. A hybrid battery and charging system, an EPC fault, or a hydraulic power-steering leak all need someone who has been taught the system, not someone guessing from a warning light.

The full report of the Skill Auto final was published by the Institute of the Motor Industry. If you want the competition story in their own words, it is on the IMI website.