That’s the news from Glenn Sherwood, managing director of Tructyre Group, who sits on the IRTE’s irtec tyre technician committee and says it will deliver new recognition and professionalism.
“We wanted to drive higher, universal standards across the industry,” he explains, adding that development has been driven by his own company, along with ATS Euromaster and NRG Fleet Services.
“The first practical and theoretical assessment was successfully conducted here at Banbury a few weeks ago with two of our guys – a lead foreman and one of our technicians.
“The irtec tyre technician assessment is now supported by Bridgetone, Goodyear and Michelin, so we’re now ready to roll.”
And it’s a similar story with tyre fitter training, he says, following approval of a tyre technician apprenticeship standard, under the trailblazer programme.
Sherwood concedes there is still work to do, but he expects the irtec assessment to feature, and the training programme to be ready, in time for the April deadline.