UK’s top young technician announced at the Skillauto final
Twenty year old John Couldridge who works for Inchcape Honda in Romford, Essex, has been crowned the UK’s top young automotive technician in a national skills competition.
John competed against the very best young automotive technicians in the Skillauto competition in the Light Vehicle Repair and Maintenance category, which was held at Thatcham, the Motor Insurance Repair Research Centre. Competitors had to demonstrate their diagnostic and repair skills on a variety of vehicles and systems.
Since March 2007, John has been working towards an NVQ level 3 in Vehicle Maintainence and Repair at the Honda Institute as part of the Honda Apprenticeship Programme.
Along with a number of other Honda Apprentices, John took part in the first stage of the competition while attending a training block at the Honda Institute. From there John was identified as one of the top achievers in this initial stage and was invited to attend a regional final hosted by Honda before going onto the UK national finals.
Finishing in joint second place was Matthew McCormack who works at the Maiden Newton Service Station in Dorset and Andrew Davidson from Henry’s Honda in Glasgow.
Managed and run by the IMI, the aim of Skillauto is to identify and promote the exceptional talent of young people working in the automotive industry, who might then have the opportunity to go on and compete with the best from across the world at the prestigious WorldSkills events held every 2 years, such as Calgary to be held later this year and in London in 2011.
Lesley Woolley, Head of Professional Development, who manages Skillauto activity at the IMI said:
“Our congratulations go to John and the six other light vehicle technicians who competed in the UK Skillauto final. All the finalists have demonstrated the world class skill levels at which individuals now need to work at in the automotive sector, this re-enforces their status as professional engineers and delivers long overdue status and respect.”
Skillauto has achieved one of the best track records for a national skills competition with medallists at the last two global competitions. Competing and winning on the international stage at WorldSkills is an integral part of the IMI’s ambitious plans to improve the perception of careers in the automotive sector.