Automotive Skills has established a designate board to ensure it can make a successful bid for a skills academy in the retail motor industry this year.

The Government is expected to announce its decision in the autumn on the next eight sector skills academies and Automotive Skills said it was determined to be in the line up.

Membership of the designate board includes representatives from both the automotive and motorsport Academies, from franchised dealerships and manufacturers such as Honda, BMW and Daimler Chrysler, from the independent sector, from Scania, Kwik-Fit, the AA, rental and leasing, parts and the crash repair sector. The IMI, higher and further education and training providers are also represented.

Steve Nash, BMW’s after sales director and chairman of the designate board: “Over the coming months the board will be determining its priorities and developing a clear retail motor industry led vision which adds value to the existing arrangements.

“The bidding round is expected to be tough but there is a momentum now in place to give the sector confidence that it merits inclusion when Ministers make their announcement later this year.”