Raising standards and challenging perceptions in the automotive sector
21 Aug 2013
The automotive retail sector is a substantial generator of wealth for the UK, turning over £146billion and £25billion GVA. However, the sector suffers from poor public perception which makes attracting high calibre talent to the sector difficult. Automotive technology also advances at a rapid pace, creating a need to drive up skills standards in the sector if it is to remain profitable and fit for purpose.
The UK Commission for Employment and Skills have invested significant funding to develop a self sustainable Professional Register of automotive professionals with verified skills and qualifications. The Professional Register will act as a voluntary ‘licence to practise’ with a requirement for continual up-skilling built in and the possibility of being ‘struck off’ for poor practise. Around 100,000 individuals are expected to join the Professional Register by 2016 and a CPD partnership program has also been funded to help individuals maintain and improve their skills.
Helen Price is a sales manager at Bristol Street Motors Mazda in Redditch with over nine years experience in the sector. Helen is extremely passionate about car sales thanks to an interest developed at an early age through family connections to the sector. She is an ambitious professional and actively takes steps to develop herself and her career. She recently completed a degree level course in Automotive Retail Management and will be starting an MSc course in the same subject next year.
Helen was the first female to sign up to the IMI’s Professional Register when it was made available through IMI membership and represents the high calibre of individual needed to lead the automotive retail sector forward. She has used her membership of the IMI and place on the professional register to network and promote her professionalism to customers.
Helen has also accessed CPD training through the IMI to help up-skill in specific areas such as ‘time management’ and ‘coaching skills’ and believes CPD is an excellent way to up-skill in a way that can immediately benefit your day to day role.
“Being a woman in the motor industry can have its own challenges, even now I have some customers who are surprised to see a woman in the motor industry, let alone in a managerial position. I take my career very seriously and I try to do anything that I can to develop myself and my career. The fact that the Register can promote my professionalism can only be a good thing.”
For more information about this project or the work of the IMI, please contact:
Tel +44 (0) 1992 511521
Email: [email protected]
