Press releases

IRTE Skills Challenge 2012 - registration opens

21st Nov 2011

As the first sponsors of the IRTE Skills Challenge 2012 are confirmed, registration for the competition the entire sector is talking about is now officially OPEN.

It is with pleasure that the IRTE Skills Challenge welcomes back the sponsors who made the first competition such a success: Allison Transmission, Bridgestone, Halfords Trade, Knorr-Bremse and Shell FuelSave Diesel.

An exciting skills competition for bus and coach engineers in the UK and Ireland, the IRTE Skills Challenge demonstrates the importance and competence of the people who keep the industry moving. With individual and operator categories, the event celebrates and recognises the vital contribution of bus and coach technicians.

With the crucial support of the sponsors, each of which is determined to recognise the unsung heroes of the bus and coach sector, the IRTE Skills Challenge 2012 promises to place the skills and competence of competing operators firmly on the map!

SOE Chief Executive Nick Jones said: “The IRTE Skills Challenge represents our key aims: to support, recognise and reward competence. Last year, thanks to the support of our sponsors and the skills of competitors, the competition proved to be a great success, and displayed the competence of the entire sector to a wide and varied audience. The 2012 event promises to be even bigger and better. Operators who are considering entering the competition are urged to register their interest online before 31 January 2012.”

How to register
• Operators must register interest by 31 January 2012
• Operators must confirm competitor names by 1 May 2012
• There are no charges to enter the IRTE Skills Challenge 2012, although operators will need to cover travel/subsistence costs
• There are a limited number of bus operators that can participate. To avoid disappointment, contact SOE Events Manager Emma Thompson on emma.thompson@soe.org.uk today, or find out more online at www.soe.org.uk/irteskills.


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EDITORS NOTES

For more information, and to register, visit www.soe.org.uk/irteskills.

For media enquiries, please contact:
David Jones
020 7630 1111
david.jones@soe.org.uk


IRTE (Institute of Road Transport Engineers)
A Professional Sector of SOE (Society of Operations Engineers), IRTE is one of the most respected names in UK transport. Founded in 1944, the IRTE is recognised as an impartial voice of the industry. It encourages high standards of excellence with an emphasis on safety in operation, demonstrated by its research and education programme for members and industry. The IRTE is also a partner in the CV Show, alongside the RHA and SMMT.
IRTE members come from a wide variety of transport-related roles including apprentices and technicians in the light and heavy and bus and coach sectors, workshop managers, fleet engineers, transport managers and company directors.

SOE (Society of Operations Engineers)
SOE is a professional membership organisation that represents around 15,000 individuals and companies in the engineering industry. The SOE has three professional sectors – IRTE, IPlantE and BES (see below for more details).
The Society promotes safe, efficient and environmentally sustainable operations engineering to the benefit of the community at large, through the support of best practice and health and safety initiatives, a commitment to the professional development of its members and by influencing legislation and design.
SOE is a licensed member of the Engineering Council and can register members at all three levels, CEng, IEng and EngTech.
www.soe.org.uk
www.facebook.com/SOEngineers