IRTE Skills Challenge News

Final chance to sign up for IRTE Skills Challenge

6th Jan 2012

Registration closes on 31 January 2012

Time is running out for bus and coach operators to register their interest in the IRTE Skills Challenge 2012! With many operators already wanting to find out more, including the London Borough of Redbridge, Prospect Coaches, Arriva North West, Ipswich Buses, Go-Ahead London, Bluestar Bus, Wilts & Dorset Bus Company, Translink, NETS and London United Busways, this is your final call to get involved in the event the whole industry is talking about.

The IRTE Skills Challenge will see operators of all sizes, from across the country, pit their technicians against each other in a bid to see them crowned highest scoring electrical, mechanical or bodywork engineers. There are also awards highlighting which operator’s team achieves overall engineering success.

Entering the competition for the first time this year, the London Borough of Redbridge believes the competition will prove the competency of its engineers. Engineering manager Eddie Cross says: “The technicians at the London Borough of Redbridge have been irtec registered for a number of years now, which has helped us achieve Ford Authorised Repairer status. But as a large portion of our fleet is passenger carrying, we feel this is a good opportunity to challenge our team and promote our skills with others in the industry.”

Sponsored by Allison Transmission, Bridgestone, Halfords Trade, Knorr-Bremse and Shell FuelSave Diesel, the competition is a dynamic event, demonstrating the importance of the people who keep the industry moving. The practical elements of the challenge will take place at S&B Automotive Academy in Bristol in June, and are based upon the IRTE’s technician licensing scheme, irtec. Winners will be announced during a ceremony in July.

Due to the limited number of companies that can participate, bus operators that wish to register their technicians for the IRTE Skills Challenge are advised to contact emma.thompson@soe.org.uk or visit www.soe.org.uk/irteskills ASAP.