The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) is asking employers in the automotive sector for their views on the future of skills development.

The whole range of National Occupational Standards (NOS), which underpin all vocational qualifications in the automotive sector, are being revised and the IMI’s skills development team is coordinating a consultation process until the end of September.

Brand new qualifications will be introduced next year so the existing standards are being updated in conjunction with some 25 specialist working groups made up of representatives from all areas of the industry.

The IMI has also launched an online consultation process at www.motor.org.uk/nos for employers to give their feedback on the standards via its website. Alternatively, they can request the relevant documentation direct from the Institute.

Steve Scofield, IMI’s head of skills development, said: "Our revision of the NOS is a critical process for our sector as it will determine how new vocational qualifications will look for the next five years.

"It's vital that we get as many employers as possible to feed in to this consultation so that the IMI can ensure that, once developed, the qualifications are fit for purpose and valued by businesses."

Separately, the IMI is also inviting employers to respond to the Government's proposals to give employees in England a legal right to ask their employer for time to undertake the training they need to be more effective and productive at work.

The ‘Time to Train’ consultation, by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, runs until September 10 and details of the proposals, together with the consultation response form, can be found at www.dius.gov.uk/consultations.

Under the proposals employees can request time to undertake formal training that leads to a qualification, or for informal unaccredited training that will help them to develop a specific skill relevant to their job. In both cases, the only requirement would be that training should help improve business performance and productivity.