BRIT, the Body Repair Industry Trailblazer, has appointed NCR Bodyshops managing director Christine Maskill to chair the group.

Maskill replaces Tom Hudd and Chris Oliver at the group, which is comprised of 33 members from across the UK vehicle repair industry - 20 whom are employers of apprentices - where everyone participated in a democratic process of the election.

BRIT was formed by the merging of AutoRaise and Collision Repair Sector Group to provide continual development and management of the five new Apprenticeships Standards: Paint Technician/Panel, Technician/MET, Technician/Accident, Repair Technician/Vehicle Damage Assessor.

AutoRaise recently reached out to redundant Nationwide Accident Repair Centres apprentices, to offer support and assistance to apprentices that were made redundant due to the closure of stores. 

Maskill said: “There is a lot to do with the ever-evolving vehicle repair industry.

“It is imperative that the industry secure every apprenticeship opportunity and that it uses all of these standards as building blocks for the development of a sustainable competent resources sector for the future.”

BRIT aim to ensure the Standards remain current and compatible with the vehicle repair industry.

The Trailblazer will be funded by AutoRaise, who will facilitate meetings and communications to the sector and government departments involved with apprenticeships.