Success for AutoRaise!

AutoRaise is very pleased to advise that we have received notification that our challenge to the Government on the funding band for the Multi-skilled Apprenticeship Standard has been successful. After a sustained period of lobbying by AutoRaise the Government have now reviewed their previous decision and agreed to increase the funding by 30%.

"We are delighted to have received this notification," said Indra Nauth AutoRaise' Head of Engagement for Education & Learners and who has worked in partnership with Chris Oliver and the AutoRaise Team for over five years to help bring this Standard to the market. "The government's decision has been a long time coming and it's a massively positive result. We can now move forward and engage more fully with our sector's training providers at an even greater pace and with absolute clarity about the funding for employers. This is especially good news for the numerous AutoRaise training providers and college partners working with repairers who are now able to commit to delivering even greater programmes for apprentices."

AutoRaise have been steadily building momentum to this pivotal point and have generated significant interest amongst vehicle repairers to commit to taking on apprentices. The Multi-skilled apprenticeship has been seen as the future for a fast-changing industry, reflecting the evolving role of the vehicle repair technician and the commercial needs of the modern vehicle repairer. A Multi-skilled technician can be deployed at any point in the vehicle repair process and employers who have Multi-skilled apprentices claim that they become productive to the business a lot quicker than their Single-skilled equivalents.

Bob Linwood, AutoRaise CEO added: "For months now, we have been holding back the tsunami of desire from the industry. The result is great news for everyone involved in our sector. I am equally pleased on another level too. Indra and the team, including a number of repairers and training providers who involved themselves in our challenge, have worked hard and dedicated much time to get us to this point, the first agreed Apprentice Standard in our sector. The industry should congratulate them on their commitment and diligence to support the industry. I am also proud that the AutoRaise charity has put their name on the government's map and successfully lobbied for a successful turnaround."

The AutoRaise team have attended numerous meetings and made various detailed presentations to different government departments over the last few months, putting our industry and the importance of the role we play to safer vehicle repair in the spotlight. It is a superb testament of how credible AutoRaise have become and yet another reminder of how important it was to create an entity that had no other focus than to help the vehicle repair industry address its chronic skills crisis. To have the government recognise our industry and to agree to the AutoRaise challenge is a very important achievement.

Bob Linwood CEO of AutoRaise concluded: "It would have, of course, been impossible for AutoRaise to do the good work it does without the forward thinking and support of industry partners who should also feel very satisfied their support has resulted in a great outcome for everyone involved."