Bumper Christmas for recruiting new members
A record number of 1,100 individuals applied for membership of the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) during November, the highest number of applicants received in a single month in the IMI's 86 year history.
A recently launched partnership with the National Union of Students, enabling IMI students to gain access to the NUS Associate Card, heralded more than 600 responses to an initial direct mail campaign. This was complemented by a further 500 applications from across the industry, lending weight to the IMI's 'Proud to be professional' campaign, launched in the summer.
So far this financial year, the IMI has elected 1,900 members and is on course to exceed its target of 2,500 new members during the year ending March 2007.
Adding further credibility to Automotive Technician Accreditation (ATA), which recently celebrated its 3,000th technician, the Institute has been short-listed for the inaugural Best of British Industry Awards, for its introduction of the scheme.
Conceived and organised by project management and industrial services company, AMEC plc, independent research consultancy, The Work Foundation, in association with The Sunday Times, the IMI is one of six finalists in the category, Supporting British Industry. The 2006 awards will be announced in London on 8 February 2007.
Sarah Sillars, IMI chief executive, commented:
"The IMI's efforts to highlight the value of ethical competence have received two major boosts just before Christmas, which will give our New Year's activity added drive. It's fantastic that the ATA scheme has achieved this national recognition, for which the industry can be justly proud. The initiative has made steady progress and we expect this to continue significantly, helped by the new accreditation models which will be rolled out in early 2007, including motorcycle service and repair and roadside assistance."
Details of the IMI's 'Proud to be professional' campaign are on the IMI's web-site at www.motor.org.uk