The Automotive Technician Accreditation (ATA) scheme is designed to measure the critical competences of a technician’s skill and knowledge, and to ensure that the technician applies these competences correctly in the workplace. The technician also signs an ethical code of conduct when they under take the assessment process. At present, the technician’s ATA recognition carries a validity period of 5 years from when they complete the assessment process.
The IMI develop the critical competences for each ATA route (i.e. Panel Technician, Paint Technician) which are defined on the advice provided through industry experts. To ensure that these competences are kept ‘current’, the ATA routes are maintained by the IMI approximately every 12 months by the panel of experts.
The welding competences measured within the ‘ATA Panel Technician’ practical assessments are a mixture of welding assessments, some of which are carried out on the ‘work bench’ and others which are carried out ‘on the vehicle’. The industry experts advised the IMI that welding was a ‘critical competence’ of a panel technician.
The bench test welds carried out within the ATA assessments are at present only observed by the assessor and differ to the weld testing standards as set out in the BSI Standards. The industry experts advising the IMI of the ATA competences did not see carrying out physical ‘etch’ testing of the weld as required, as this ‘etch’ testing was part of the BSI Weld testing, carried out every two years in a differing environment from the ATA assessments. Therefore ATA Panel Technician and ATA Senior Panel Technician do not meet the requirements of BSI Weld testing.
As part of the route maintenance, the IMI will look at the welding competences carried out in the ATA Assessments, to ensure that there is clarity in the industry re the technician’s skills and knowledge of welding. The bench weld testing may either be removed from the ATA Assessments or alternatively the ‘etch testing’ may be added to align to BSI weld testing although this would incur additional expense to the ATA Assessment process.
There are many standards used in the accident repair sector to ensure that the repair of the vehicle is carried out correctly. The IMI will work with the industry including the BSI to ensure that there is clarity of the standards being set and used in the sector.
For more information, please contact Ian Gillgrass, Accreditation Manager (iang@motor.org.uk or 01992 511521)
UPDATE
Further to the communication (above) re the ATA Panel assessment in early May 2010, this is to clarify that the IMI will carrying out maintenance of the ATA Panel route in late June 2010 with a focus on the welding element assessed.
If the Expert Working Group (EWG) agrees that the present welding competence measured during the practical assessment is correct, then no action will be taken and the assessments will continue until the route is maintained during the next review process which is scheduled for 2011.
However, if the EWG agree that the review of the welding competence requires a revision of the practical assessments, then the IMI will take the necessary action to revise, send the assessments to wider consultation and then test and trial the revised assessments, before they are passed through to the approved assessment centres for delivery to the industry. This process is likely to take between 4-5 months and therefore if any changes are made to the assessments, these will be available to the industry in late 2010.
It should be highlighted that the current ATA Panel assessments continue to be ‘fit for purpose’, the review of the ATA Panel route will only make minor revisions if needed to the practical assessments. Therefore the industry should continue with their present programmes to assess the technician’s current competence using the various ATA routes as necessary.
ENDS