Skills gaps in motorsport engineering will be addressed with a 100,000 project to create industry-specific, National Occupational Standards and Qualification structures.

The standards are being produced by SEMTA (Science, Engineering, Manufacturing & Technology Alliance) based on input from industry and with support from the Government Motorsport Unit and the Motorsport Development Board.

The new standards will provide a common framework for employers, colleges and training providers that offer level 2 and 3 vocational qualifications in motorsport engineering and are the first stage in the development of the Motorsport Academy.

John Kirkpatrick, launch director of the Motorsport Academy said, "the standards are a key step in ensuring that tomorrow's technicians have the high levels of practical experience and technical understanding demanded by the motorsport industry".

David George of SEMTA said, "We will consult with companies and education providers across the industry to ensure that the standards address their need for qualifications and skills across the spectrum of high performance engineering".

"The National Occupational Standards will lead to the development of a number of vocational qualifications that will enable motorsport and other high performance engineering companies to identify the skills they need and to select and train staff with those skills".

"For people who work or want to work in this exciting industry the qualifications provide a clear route to gain entry and progress through the business. They will also allow these valuable skills and talents to be recognised and used by other high performance engineering sectors".

Recent research by the Motorsport Industry Association for the Motorsport Workforce Development Plan found that motorsport lacks standard benchmarking of skills and that 45% of companies were experiencing a current skills shortage.

The project will be completed by the end of April 2005 when approval for the standards will be sought from the regulatory authorities. Once the Standards have been approved, vocational qualifications can be awarded.

ENDS

Notes for Editors

1. The creation of a Motorsport Academy is one of the main recommendations to emerge from the DTI Motorsport Competitiveness Panel.
   
2. The vision of the Motorsport Academy is to become the national industry-led umbrella body for all education, training and career development in motorsport, providing the co-ordination, direction and guidance to sources and resources through a series of networks to sustain and strengthen the success of the Motorsport sector. It is due to be launched early in 2005.
   
3. The delivery bodies that currently offer motorsport courses at these levels include:
   Brooklands College at Weybridge, Farnborough College of Technology, Oxford & Cherwell College, Milton Keynes College, Myerscough College at Preston, Tresham Institute at Kettering, Waltham Forrest College and Warwickshire College at Leamington Spa.
   
4. The Government Motorsport Unit leads the government's sector sponsorship of motorsport and the Motorsport Development Board provides industry and sporting leadership & direction on a five year programme to sustain and develop the UK motorsport cluster, based on the recommendations of the DTI Motorsport Competitiveness Panel.
   
5. SEMTA is the Sector Skills Council for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies. Its main business is to drive forward the effort to improve the UK's productivity through improvements in its sector's skills base. It is an employer-led, UK wide charity owned by industry, it has been licensed by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills and is regulated by the Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA)