Motor retailer and former British Touring Car champion John Cleland is backing the industry's drive to improve skills and win new recruits.

Cleland, dealer principal at Clelands Jaguar and Volvo of the Borders, has joined the Scottish Employers Forum of the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI).

John Cleland, left, with the IMI's Sandy Burgess

The IMI wants 40,000 ‘home grown’ apprentices working in the UK’s automotive sector by 2013, an increase of 100% on today’s figure.

Announcing Cleland’s membership of the IMI’s Scottish Employers Forum, Sandy Burgess, the IMI’s National Manager Scotland, said: "Being able to call on John's experience within championship motor sport gives us a unique edge and can only add value to our experienced group of employers, which are working together to help raise skills standards within our industry to improve future business performance."

The IMI's Scottish Employers Forum has over twenty-five members representing a cross-section of Scotland’s retail motor sector, including dealer groups, public utility and delivery companies, small and medium sized garages, and representatives from industry dealer associations.

It meets three times per year to discuss ways of developing workforce skills and associated benefits for the Scottish motor industry.

The IMI welcomes all businesses which would like to take part and they are invited to contact Sandy Burgess via email sandyb@motor.org.uk for further details.

Additionally, the IMI will be exhibiting at the Scottish Learning Festival 2008 which takes place on 24-25 September at the SECC and Clyde Auditorium in Glasgow.

Free to all teachers and educationalists, the Scottish Learning Festival 2008 is the largest annual conference and exhibition on the Scottish education calendar.