The_Accessor_Autumn 2025 web - Flipbook - Page 23
Mark Wells, Chairman of the Yorkshire
Region and part of the Education/
Membership team; Darren Power, Past
President; and guest Daniel Holloway,
Senior Motor Engineer at Admiral
Group. The mix of experience and
fresh perspectives around the table
made for lively, thoughtful conversation
throughout the night.
REFLECTIONS
Beyond the awards themselves, the
evening served as a timely reminder
of why we value occasions like this: to
recognise excellence, reconnect with
colleagues, and celebrate our shared
craft. It was heartening to see such
strong attendance and a genuine sense
of pride in the work being honoured.
assessments were hosted at Thatcham
Research’s state-of-the-art Automotive
Academy, providing a professional
and challenging environment for
the nation’s top apprentices and
technicians to demonstrate their skills.
Over three days, 昀椀nalists competed
across a range of disciplines, including
Paint, Panel, Vehicle Damage
Assessment (VDA), and Mechanical,
Electrical & Trim (MET).
The competition featured both
apprentice and accredited technician
categories, re昀氀ecting the sector’s
commitment to nurturing new talent
and recognising established expertise.
LOOKING AHEAD
As the motor industry continues to
evolve, with increasingly complex
vehicle technologies, electri昀椀cation,
and advanced materials, the need
for skilled professionals has never
been greater. Events like this shine a
light on the breadth of talent already
in the sector, but they also highlight
the importance of attracting new
apprentices into car body repair. It is
a rewarding career path with a wide
range of disciplines to explore, from
structural repair and re昀椀nishing to
diagnostics and calibration. For those
with curiosity, commitment, and a
passion for vehicles, there has never
been a more exciting time to join the
trade.
My sincere thanks to the Bodyshop
Awards organisers and to Phil Briggs
for the kind invitation. It was a fabulous
event, a memorable celebration of
achievement, camaraderie, and the
enduring spirit of our profession.
Peter Beddow A.Inst.AEA MFIEA
CAE MIMI EngTech MIMechE, IAEA
London Region Honorary Secretary.
Credit: Thatcham Research.
THE PAINT, PANEL, VDA
AND MET COMPETITIONS AT
THATCHAM RESEARCH
• Apprentice MET Technician of the
Year: Megan Robinson, FMGRS
Ben昀氀eet
• Apprentice Paint Technician of the
Year: Tayla Bennison, Drive Motor
Retail Redcar
• Apprentice Panel Technician of the
Year: Lewis Robinson, Autocraft
Telford
• Paint Technician of the Year: Gary
Gee, Solus ARC Basingstoke
• Panel Technician of the Year: Adam
Ball, The Vella Group Preston
• Advanced Technologies Technician
of the Year: Ionel Tiganus, Solus
ARC Park Royal
• VDA of the Year: Mel Johnston,
Solus ARC Warrington
BODYSHOP AND SUPPLIER
AWARDS
Each task was designed to mirror
real-world workshop conditions, testing
technical competence, adherence
to best practice, and safe working
procedures.
Scott Loran, technical training
team leader at Thatcham Research,
commented: “It was a fantastic few
days and an absolute pleasure to be
part of such a well-organised and
inspiring competition. The feedback
from participants and judges has been
overwhelmingly positive.
“Witnessing the skill, professionalism,
and passion from both apprentices and
adult technicians across all disciplines
was truly rewarding.”
The competition saw apprentices
excel in tasks such as advanced trim
and mechanical work, suspension strut
assembly, and full geometry setups.
Accredited technicians faced complex
ADAS and EV diagnostic challenges,
demonstrating the sector’s growing
focus on new technologies and
continuous professional development.
(Left to right) VDA of the Year 昀椀nalists:
Andy Goldsmith-Ryan (Devonshire Motors Barnstaple),
Mark Parker (Admiral Group Stoke-on-Trent) and
Mel Johnston (Solus Warrington).
THE WINNERS
Thatcham Research judges praised the
consistently high standard of work, with
close scores re昀氀ecting the depth of
talent on display.
Earlier this year, all the awards’ practical
www.iaea-online.org/news/the-assessor | AUTUMN 2025 | THE ASSESSORS JOURNAL
• Bodyshop Group of the Year: The
Vella Group
• Bodyshop Manager the Year: Patrick
Mackin, Mackins ARC
• Large Bodyshop of the Year:
Autocraft, Telford
• Medium Bodyshop of the Year:
Mackins ARC, Newry
• Small Bodyshop of the Year:
SmartXPress, Blackpool
• Supply Chain Partner of the Year:
INDASA Abrasives UK
• Technical Training Provider of the
Year: EMTEC Nottingham College
Dean Lander, head of repair sector
services at Thatcham Research, said:
“This year’s awards have set a new
benchmark for excellence in our
industry. We are proud to support the
development of future professionals
and celebrate the achievements of
those raising standards across the
sector. The skills demonstrated in
our Academy assessments re昀氀ect
the expertise needed to ensure the
safe and sustainable repair of today’s
increasingly complex vehicles.”
For more information about the
awards and a full list of all the
night’s award winners, please visit
bodyshopmag.com.
Through its Vehicle Risk Rating
system, launched in September
2024, Thatcham Research champions
repair-friendly vehicles, encouraging
manufacturers to consider ease of
repair as a core design attribute. This
approach supports more sustainable
vehicle lifecycles and helps maintain
the viability of the repair sector by
reducing the number of vehicles
declared Total Loss.
JOURNAL
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