I'm Mark Daley, I'm the Kia Centre Manager for the apprenticeship programme.
What courses do you offer apprentices?
So, when the apprentice comes to us, they'll start off with their Level 2 Auto Care from the IMI and then once they've completed that we can then progress them onto the Level 3 standard as well. During the course we also deliver the IMI Level 1 ADAS qualification, Level 1 Hydrogen Fuel Cell. We also do a Level 3 Electric Vehicle, which is very important for the Kia brand moving forwards and we deliver the Level 3F Gas from the IMI as well. So, we offer a variety of courses for them and the majority are achieving first time.
How does the IMI support Skillnet during the EPA (End Point Assessment) Process?
So, when the learner comes up to the end point assessment, we have a fantastic level of support from the IMI to ensure that we have a perfectly set up end point assessment so we in no way disadvantage the learner.
So, pre-assessments, the IMI will come out, they will assess our setup, they'll work with us to see what we've achieved and what we've produced for them.
They can then offer us guidance to ensure that we are meeting exactly the criteria required and also make sure that if there are any issues during the assessments, we have a back-up plan to ensure that everything is prepared and ready for each learner.
Post-IMI end point assessment, we again get excellent support because we basically see how the learners done and a very efficient rate which the IMI are very much achieving. We're able to see when the online exams are completed, what scores have come out of, when they've done the practical skills tasks.
We get the results very quickly after if they've passed or gained a distinction, fantastic news to pass on. If the learner for example has a referral, we're able to gain data to find out what areas they would need to improve on, so we can work with the learner very closely to ensure that they have the right information moving forwards and that they are fully prepared for a reattempt if required.
‘Kia is well known as a progressive automotive manufacturer with a reputation for quality, style, and innovation. These qualities have been used to design bespoke apprenticeships that develop the skills and knowledge needed for the current and future Kia workforce. Our innovative and exciting apprenticeship programmes deliver modern, with cutting-edge educational strategies that support our apprentices to achieve their end point assessment successfully. Our constant desire for ongoing improvement in developing knowledge and skills of our workforce is paramount and allows Kia to continue in its commitment to electrification.‘
Rebecca Sparshott, Quality, and Innovation Director
What new systems are you piloting with the IMI?
Here at Skillnet we're piloting EPA Pro with the IMI. So far, we've found it very user friendly, very efficient and it's fantastic to get post result feedback for the learner. So very much looking forward to seeing what happens in the future.
Find out more about the IMI as an End Point Assessment Organisation here.
