The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) has announced the winners of its 2023 Skills Competition.
The event attracted more than 600 nominations, making the 2023 competition the most intense yet, before 23 winners and runners-up were chosen across four categories: Light Vehicle Technology, Body Repair, Refinishing and Heavy Vehicle.
In the Heavy Vehicle category, gold went to Ben Turner of Harris DAF High Wycombe (Skillnet), while Oisin Mckerr of Porters Bodyshop (Southern Regional College) won Refinishing gold, Adrian Matthews of Ultimate Accident Repair Services (S&B Automotive Academy) won gold in the Body Repair category and Oliver Young from J&R Auto Services (Perth UHI) won gold in the Light Vehicle category.
All the finalists may now be eligible to move forward to the World Skills International competition to be held in Lyon in September 2024.
Richard Hutchins, competitions manager at the Institute of the Motor Industry, said: “Despite the ongoing challenges across the sector, the IMI Skills Competition has been a huge success once again, highlighting some extraordinary talent from across the UK. As an organisation committed to fostering equality, diversity, inclusion and belonging within the automotive industry, we are hugely encouraged by the increasing diversity of the nominees in recent years. The example these individuals set helps demonstrate that this industry has many roles suitable for those with physical and non-visible disabilities which may not be the general perception outside the sector.”
