Training for the Automotive Aftermarket
Founded in 2017, Wrexham-based firm Maverick Diagnostics has been a pioneer in the automotive diagnostics sector for more than two decades providing the automotive aftermarket with training & technical support for OEM tools and equipment.
During the pandemic, managing director, Andy Brooke, refocused the business, from sales to service solutions, accelerating growth and winning new customers at home and overseas.
Then in 2022, Andy saw the increasing need for more hands-on diagnostic training; to help independent workshop customers keep up to date with the changing landscape in the industry, training to cover advances in diagnostic technology and the growing demand for electric and hybrid vehicle repair and maintenance.
Maverick Diagnostic customers were already making the most of MD’s online courses but were calling for more hands-on learning, especially in the field of electric and hybrid vehicles. To meet these needs the Automotive Training Academy was launched in the summer of 2022.
IMI Accredited courses & more
The Automotive Training Academy is accredited by the IMI and is proud to offer IMI courses on EV repair and maintenance (levels 1-4). Without proper training and qualifications, garages and technicians are unable to take on the safety aspect of electric and hybrid repairs and sadly, the majority of garages are nowhere near ready to take on the growing need for EV and hybrid repair and maintenance.
According to the Institute of the Motoring Industry (IMI) there is an urgent need for more technicians to be EV trained and by 2030 there will be a shortfall of around 90,000 in the UK alone. The number of qualified technicians has increased by just 4.5% since 2020 but is not enough to cover the number of EVs on the road and by 2030 motorists are going to struggle to find qualified technicians to work on their cars.
By partnering with the IMI, the Automotive Training Academy aims to help these independent workshops and garages stay ahead of this shortfall and upskill in time to meet demand.
The first courses offered by the Automotive Training Academy will focus on electric and hybrid training as well as specific dealer diagnostic training but more IMI-accredited courses on the fundamentals of diagnostics, Automotive Osilliscopes, AC & HVAC will follow soon.