Thatcham has officially opened its first regional training centre specifically targeting vehicle damage assessment.

The Thatcham Automotive Academy, based at MIRA’s headquarters in Nuneaton, features two large vehicle assessment bays and also benefits from two classroom to provide enough space to teach 12 students a day.

Having been operational since mid-February, the centre has also trained more than 70 estimators on the B47 – Advanced Vehicle Damage Assessor course.

Les Minton, the site’s key instructor, who previously worked as senior training assessor at Provident Insurance, said correct vehicle damage assessment was fundamental: “It’s a grass roots issue – how we repair cars properly and this is an essential step.”

Later this month, the centre will begin to offer the ATA for bodyshop estimator and is looking to expand the training offered to include courses like eScribe explored.

Sarah Sillars, IMI chief executive, who opened the facility, said such a site could only “be a positive attribute to the industry”.