IMI receives Government funding for Headlight ICT teaching resource

Following on from National Apprenticeship Week, the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) is delighted to announce that it has secured additional funding from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) to develop an ICT teaching resource.  The new ICT resource will be an addition to the IMI’s widely used and acclaimed Headlight programme that covers key curriculum skills whilst introducing careers in the retail motor industry to young people.

Headlight currently enables schools and colleges to access free automotive related teaching resources that cover the curriculum areas of numeracy and business & enterprise at key stage 3, 4 and BTEC levels, helping them to engage learners in academic subjects that are taught through real-world, practical examples which introduce the retail automotive industry to a wide range of students. From September 2013 a literacy resource will also be available and we hope to launch the ICT resource at the same time.  Adding ICT to Headlight also allows the IMI to engage with a wider audience, and addresses the lack of basic IT skills in school leavers.  These skills are especially essential for technical qualifications, including those offered in the motor industry.  It is expected that the new ICT element will help increase the take up of Headlight from 200 to 350+ schools and engagement with 7,500 students across the UK.

IMI Chief Operating Officer, Linda Stansfield, commented: “We are delighted to have secured this additional UKCES funding to develop the much needed ICT element of our successful Headlight education resource.  This will allow us to greatly extend our reach to young people.  For many, because of the poor public perception of the industry, the automotive retail sector is not seen as a career of choice. The Headlight family of resources allow us to highlight the fantastic opportunities in the sector to young people at an early stage, as well as fulfilling core skills requirements in the National Curriculum in an invaluable teaching resource.”

For further information about how to access the IMI’s free Headlight resources visit www.autocity.org.uk/Headlight

For media enquiries please contact: 
Simon White, IMI PR Manager 

E: simonw@theimi.org.uk

T: 01992 511521

M: 07889 630 803