Thatcham Research ‘espire’ training to guide bodyshops through revised BS10125 requirements

Today, Thatcham Research has announced its espire training solution designed to simplify the revised BS10125 journey for bodyshops.

espire will build on Thatcham Research’s established learning capability through its ecademy platform to offer bodyshops a one stop shop for BS10125-compliant training and assessments.

BS10125’s new requirements introduce a CPD (Continuing Professional Development) framework for technicians. This means that once a technician has qualified via an apprenticeship, qualification, or full route accreditation, they will have the option of replacing their three-year in-person reaccreditation with an ongoing CPD route.

The framework covers 18 competencies including ADAS, electric vehicles and vehicle damage assessment among other disciplines, featuring mandatory knowledge tests and practical assessments.

Through its espire programme, Thatcham Research will get bodyshops future-ready, ensuring that their staff have a comprehensive understanding of new and emerging automotive technologies which will continue to have a greater presence in the repair sector.

espire will guide and simplify the CPD process, without bodyshops needing to worry about the administrative load. espire is available as an annual subscription, based on the number of staff enrolled, rather than the amount of content accessed.

It is designed to ensure flexible qualifications for all roles within bodyshops using e-learning to limit the number of days staff must be out of the business, reducing spending on travel and accommodation. The product includes practical assessments initially available at Thatcham Research’s Berkshire HQ, with visits to customer sites available in future. It also provides reporting on staff CPD progress, completion and expiry dates, and ongoing support to ensure businesses maximise the benefit of this new framework.

Dean Lander, head of repair sector services, Thatcham Research, said: “I am pleased Thatcham Research has launched its espire training programme to support the repair sector in adopting new BS10125 requirements.

“BS10125’s revisions recognise a big shift in the way bodyshops run their business and teams in light of ongoing technical, political, and environmental change.

“Continuing professional development in such a fast-paced industry is critical to business success and Thatcham Research is best placed to provide ongoing competency while upskilling the workforce as technology evolves rapidly.

“Our training content, created from the insight gathered by experts in our world-class Repair Technology Centre and accessible to bodyshop staff anytime and anywhere online through ecademy, will ensure our customers success long into the future."

To learn more about espire, please visit the Thatcham Research website: https://www.thatcham.org/espire

Notes to the editor:

BS10125 is the gold standard of vehicle damage repair, specifying the best approach to conducting safe, high-quality repairs to accident damaged vehicles.

It enables bodyshops to demonstrate best practice across numerous automotive disciplines widely recognised by vehicle manufacturers and insurers. BS10125 certification is only awarded to repairers who have the technical competence, management systems and procedures to operate and perform repairs to the highest standard.

The revised BS10125 framework changes from a discipline level approach (i.e., Paint, Panel, and M.E.T) to a granular programme across 18 competencies covering ADAS, Electric Vehicles and Vehicle Damage Assessment among other disciplines.

Each competency will include CPD topics the technician will need to complete including a set number of learning hours and mandatory knowledge test. Ten competencies will also have a practical assessment. Technicians will be required to reaccredit every three years by passing knowledge tests and practical assessments.