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ATA Events at IMI Awards - Fanshaws

ATA Customer Service Advisor and Parts Advisor Accreditation

Now that both the Customer Service Advisor and Parts Advisor ATA pilots are complete, IMI Awards wish to promote these within the sector to maximize awareness of the offering.

Click here to view the Customer Service Advisor brochure (PDF)

To this end, IMI Awards would like to invite you to attend an event we are hosting at Fanshaws on 29 and 30 January 2009 to gain your feedback on the programmes, as they are at this time. We will also be discussing promotion, development and proposed next steps of these two ATA routes. 

This invitation is being extended to the original working groups,  manufacturers, suppliers and approved IMI Awards centres intrested in offering these two ATA routes.  This is to ensure we received a broad level of input at each event.   

If you would like to attend either of these events, please complete the booking form  

Thursday 29 January - Customer Service ATA
Friday 30 January - Parts Advisor ATA

You may attend both days if your schedule permits as we value your input.
It is envisage that each day will commence at 10.30 until approximately 15.00. Lunch and refreshments will be provided during the day.

The final agenda will be communicated nearer to the dates of the events.

If you require more details, please contact Ray Hunt on raymondh@imiawards.org.uk  

Regional Network Meetings 08/09

Many centre representatives attended one of the Regional Network Meetings that have taken place over the last three months.  If you were unable to attend your regional meeting, there will be an opportunity to attend one of two mop up sessions for the North and South regions as detailed below:

- Wed 28 January - IMI Awards at Fanshaws in Hertford

- Tue 3 February - Mondial Assistance, Warrington

Click here for a booking form 

Three main topics were discussed at the regional meetings:

- Qualifications Development
- ATA Update and Development
- Website Development / Online testing

The open discussions and forums were very useful to IMI Awards. We hope you found them equally informative and a good use of your time. 

Your feedback and inputs are now being collated and prioritised for action.  We will keep you updated on the progress and inform you of any proposed changes accordingly. 

Documents and Updates

You need to be logged in to view documentation.

From February 2, 2009 the way you access documentation on our website will change.  Currently there are two ways to access qualifications documentation:

Option 1- Click "Centres" tab on the navigation bar then clicking on the left hand side "Documentation" navigation button.  Then search the for the required qualification and level to view documents.

Option 2 - Click "Qualifications" button on the navigation bar. Scroll down to required qualifications route and level then click. The required documentation is linked  on right hand side and bottom of each page.  See following qualifications page as an example Qual Ref: 100/5569/1 (LV) 

From February onwards, only option 2 will be available to view qualification related documentation.  Any non qualification documentation will be held within the operations manual.

Accessing Updated Documents

You can view the latest document updates on both the qualifications and centre tabs, then on the Document Update button on the left hand navigation buttons or the links within the pages where indicated.

Latest Updates:

MET/Body Fitting VRQ Teaching Programmes (PDF files)
Level 1 Award document
Level 2 Certificate document
Level 3 Diploma document

National Certificate in Vehicle Maintenance & Repair (Motorsport VRQ) - National Candidate Assessments Summary MS L2 (Doc file) Added to Level 2 Qual Ref: 100/5582/4 (MS)

Key Skills  - the page orientation has changed from landscape to portrait on the following PDF documens after feedback received from centres:
- App Of Number L1 -100-0634-5 V4 
- Communication L1 -100-0635-7v3 
- Information Tech L1 -100-0639-4v3
- App Of Number L2 -100-0633-3v3 
- Communication L2 -100-0636-9v3
- Information Tech L2 -100-0640-0v3  

Click here for all latest document updates

ASSESSOR & VERIFIER WORKSHOPS 2008

Following a number of requests from centres, we will be running Assessor and Verifier workshops to update centre personnel on the requirements of the current A & V units.

Two workshops are currently scheduled:

11th December 2008 at Fanshaws, Hertfordshire
13 February 2009 at Fanshaws, Hertfordshire

Each workshop will start at 09:30am and end at approximately 03:00pm 

The workshop is aimed at:

- Current assessors and internal verifiers who hold ‘D’ units, but who have not attended an ‘A’ and ‘V’ unit update workshop
- Assessors and internal verifiers who are working towards their ‘A’ and ‘V’ awards
- Assessors and internal verifiers of candidates working towards ‘A’ and ‘V’ units

At the end of the workshop, delegates will be assessed.  Certificates will be awarded to those who achieve 80% or above.

The cost of each workshop is £75 + VAT (including lunch).

To book a place on the workshop, please complete and return this order form enclosing payment, or a purchase order number.  Please note that the workshop has limited space so please book early to avoid disappointment.

VEHICLE DAMAGE ASSESSOR ATA

A new ATA route ‘Vehicle Damage Assessor (VDA) has been introduced to replace the Estimator ATA which has now expired for registrations.  Launched at IMI Awards’ recent Bodyshop forum, VDA ATA became effective on 21 July 2008 and centres wishing to offer this qualification should apply using Form 6.2.  Further information on this ATA route will be available on the ATA website shortly.  Alternatively contact Andy Frounks at IMI Awards (andrewf@imiawards.org.uk). He will be able to provide you with the centre and assessor approval criteria.

There is one level of VDA ATA and the assessment comprises an on-line test (Part A) and a series of practical assessments (Part B).  Candidates must have passed the on-line test to be eligible to take the practical assessments.  Centres approved to offer ATA Bodyshop who wish to offer the on-line test only should contact Ian Cheetham with details of available dates (ianc@imiawards.org.uk).  He will provide details of the criteria to offer these tests.

Changes to MET ATA

From 1 October changes to the MET ATA route will be implemented.  Full details are contained in the attached guidelines.  If you require further information contact Andy Frounks (andyf@imiawards.org.uk) or Ian Cheetham (ianc@imiawards.org.uk).

AIR CONDITIONING ATA

To ensure that Air Conditioning ATA continues to meet the requirements of EC legislation there have been changes to the structure of this ATA route.  The updated version became effective on 1 July 2008 and the revised assessments must be used from this date.  The new reference numbers are as follows:

  IMIA/AC08/1 – Refrigerant Handler
  IMIA/AC08/2 – AC Service Technician
  IMIA/AC08/3 – AC Diagnostic Technician

All centres that are approved for Air Conditioning ATA will automatically be approved for the new version, but must ensure that their assessors have been updated as to the new requirements.

QUALIFICATIONS EXPIRING

Please note that the last date that we can issue certificates for the level 3 'framework 3' qualifications is:

NVQs - 31/08/08                                              
VRQs - 30/09/08

Please ensure that all claims are submitted at least 10 working days before the appropriate date.

Online Assessment Update

We have been advised that the newly released upgrade of Internet Explorer 7 for Windows XP Sp2 is not currently supported by the Aspen element of the online testing system and we would therefore advise centres to NOT upgrade at this time.

If you have any questions please call the IMI Awards Helpdesk.

ALL CORE SKILLS APPROVED CENTRES

SQA has recently refreshed the Workplace Core Skills units.  It has announced they are ready for first candidate entry in August 2008.
Information on the revised Workplace Core Skills can be found on SQA Accreditation’s web pages via the following link:
www.sqa.org.uk/accreditation (please click on workplace core skills heading within “In this section”.)
IMI Awards is currently seeking re-accreditation and developing the Candidate Assessment Records for each of the new revised Core Skills Units.

Welsh Translation

Centres in Wales will be pleased to hear that we have translated the following qualification into Welsh. Centres wishing to use the qualification in this medium should contact Glyn Evans (glyne@imiawards.org.uk)

500/3573/3 (LV) - IMIAL Level 1 Award in Automotive Pre-Vocational Learning