Additional regional centres strengthen VDA accreditation process
Increasing the opportunities for Vehicle Damage Assessors to achieve Automotive Technician Accreditation (ATA) is a major focus of the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI), which governs the scheme.
Increasing the opportunities for Vehicle Damage Assessors to achieve Automotive Technician Accreditation (ATA) is a major focus of the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI), which governs the scheme.
As well as Thatcham's two assessment centres in Berkshire and Nuneaton, the IMI's qualifications subsidiary, IMI Awards, has added 17 extra regional assessment centres which are now approved to offer the on-line theory test for ATA VDA accreditation.
To achieve accreditation, Vehicle Damage Assessors must pass an on-line knowledge test before attempting the practical assessments, which are currently held at Thatcham's two centres. To be eligible for accreditation, a Vehicle Damage Assessor must have at least 5 years industry experience with a minimum of 2 years' experience in an appropriate role.
The on-line test element of the VDA accreditation is free to applicants until 31 March 2009, as this is being funded by the IMI.
The multiple choice test consists of 70 randomised questions - seven sections with 10 questions in each. The time limit for the test is 90 minutes. The test measures knowledge in the following areas: safety and liability; damage appraisal; vehicle appraisal; repair methodology; salvage categorisation; eScribe usage; and industry general knowledge.
To pass, the applicant needs to achieve a mark of 70% or above in each of the seven sections of the knowledge test.
The list of regional ATA assessment centres offering the VDA on-line test are:
• Training 2000, Blackburn
• Suffolk New College, Ipswich
• Dublin Institute of Technology
• Bridgwater College, Somerset
• GTG Training, Glasgow
• S & B Training, Bristol
• Audatex (UK)
• The Manchester College
• Gateshead College
• Coleg Glan Hafren, Cardiff
• Coleg Llandrillo (Rhyl)
• Just Car Clinics
• Thatcham (Nuneaton and Berkshire)
• Skillnet Automotive Academy, Watford
• Transport Training Services
• North West Regional College
• Belfast Metropolitan College
• North Devon College
The IMI's Head of Skills Development, Steve Scofield, said:
"Raising skill levels to help businesses make a better return and recognising highly skilled operatives is a major driver for the ATA scheme and we're working to increase the ATA assessment centre network across all disciplines. Adding these additional regional centres for the VDA route is a significant step forward in this process."
Vehicle Damage Assessors and technicians working in crash repair who are considering ATA accreditation can take a self-assessment on the ATA web-site in their particular discipline. Go to www.automotivetechnician.org.uk for further details.