Hi all, How do you ensure maintenance staff are adequately qualified and competent.

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rovamp
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Aug 20, 2022 2:13 pm

Hi all, How do you ensure maintenance staff are adequately qualified and competent.

Post by rovamp »

Hi all, looking for a general collective response to a question I have been asked. I have my own thoughts and implemented a system for a client recently, although mainly stick with main dealer maintenance providers.
How do you ensure maintenance staff are adequately qualified and competent.
Explain how they keep up to date with modern vehicle design and systems.
stanbp
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Aug 21, 2022 9:55 am

Re: Hi all, How do you ensure maintenance staff are adequately qualified and competent.

Post by stanbp »

Hi Rovamp, the short answer is to carry out an audit of your provider or get an outside contractor to do it for you, which we do if you need us [email protected]
SunnFix
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Aug 21, 2022 11:01 am

Re: Hi all, How do you ensure maintenance staff are adequately qualified and competent.

Post by SunnFix »

stanbp wrote: Sun Aug 21, 2022 11:57 am Hi Rovamp, the short answer is to carry out an audit of your provider or get an outside contractor to do it for you, which we do if you need us [email protected]
it really is that simple. All we need now is for the OTC to take action against providers who don’t meet the standard.
Steeyco
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Aug 20, 2022 12:07 pm

Re: Hi all, How do you ensure maintenance staff are adequately qualified and competent.

Post by Steeyco »

stanbp wrote: Sun Aug 21, 2022 11:57 am Hi Rovamp, the short answer is to carry out an audit of your provider or get an outside contractor to do it for you, which we do if you need us [email protected]
that's exactly what I have done with a couple of providers, I don't know enough to be able to say with certainty that I am competent to test a garage. I use an external company who spend a couple of days with the garage/mechanics and complete a full inspection on a few vehicles leaving the garage.
fintexo
Posts: 36
Joined: Sun Aug 21, 2022 12:00 pm

Re: Hi all, How do you ensure maintenance staff are adequately qualified and competent.

Post by fintexo »

Audits are all very well, but you need to know what you are auditing against.
Auditing that PMIs and repairs have been completed on vehicles doesn’t necessarily demonstrate competency.
stanbp
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Aug 21, 2022 9:55 am

Re: Hi all, How do you ensure maintenance staff are adequately qualified and competent.

Post by stanbp »

fintexo wrote: Sun Aug 21, 2022 12:00 pm Audits are all very well, but you need to know what you are auditing against.
Auditing that PMIs and repairs have been completed on vehicles doesn’t necessarily demonstrate competency.
I think you may have misunderstood the type of audit to which I referred. I was speaking about an audit of the maintenance provider, the suitability of their premises for the fleet to be maintained, tools, equipment and systems that are appropriate, the presence of suitable under vehicle inspection facilities, a safe working environment and operatives that are properly trained and equipped.
Smithor
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Aug 20, 2022 2:11 pm

Re: Hi all, How do you ensure maintenance staff are adequately qualified and competent.

Post by Smithor »

It will depend on what the main work required by the technician would be... the tech may have been doing this sort of work for a long time without the need of papers and training... you learn so much more on the job than in a class room...
fintexo
Posts: 36
Joined: Sun Aug 21, 2022 12:00 pm

Re: Hi all, How do you ensure maintenance staff are adequately qualified and competent.

Post by fintexo »

Smithor wrote: Sun Aug 21, 2022 12:01 pm It will depend on what the main work required by the technician would be... the tech may have been doing this sort of work for a long time without the need of papers and training... you learn so much more on the job than in a class room...
That doesn't satisfy the requirements for demonstrating competency.
Smithor
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Aug 20, 2022 2:11 pm

Re: Hi all, How do you ensure maintenance staff are adequately qualified and competent.

Post by Smithor »

fintexo wrote: Sun Aug 21, 2022 12:02 pm
Smithor wrote: Sun Aug 21, 2022 12:01 pm It will depend on what the main work required by the technician would be... the tech may have been doing this sort of work for a long time without the need of papers and training... you learn so much more on the job than in a class room...
That doesn't satisfy the requirements for demonstrating competency.
I refuse to be drawn in to a debate. I just made a comment that may have proved helpful. RHA never had a problem, dvsa, employ in the same manner..
fintexo
Posts: 36
Joined: Sun Aug 21, 2022 12:00 pm

Re: Hi all, How do you ensure maintenance staff are adequately qualified and competent.

Post by fintexo »

Smithor wrote: Sun Aug 21, 2022 12:02 pm
fintexo wrote: Sun Aug 21, 2022 12:02 pm
Smithor wrote: Sun Aug 21, 2022 12:01 pm It will depend on what the main work required by the technician would be... the tech may have been doing this sort of work for a long time without the need of papers and training... you learn so much more on the job than in a class room...
That doesn't satisfy the requirements for demonstrating competency.
I refuse to be drawn in to a debate. I just made a comment that may have proved helpful. RHA never had a problem, dvsa, employ in the same manner..
This is about demonstrating competency, not whether someone is suitably qualified or not. Two completely different things.
Just because someone can do the job, doesn't make them suitably competent.
Plenty of examples of competence management systems available from other industries for reference.
fintexo
Posts: 36
Joined: Sun Aug 21, 2022 12:00 pm

Re: Hi all, How do you ensure maintenance staff are adequately qualified and competent.

Post by fintexo »

Simple answer is there should be a competency management system in place. This should comprise of a suitable level of education and subsequent training and development which is correctly documented and recorded.
Bluecorn
Posts: 376
Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2021 6:58 am

Re: Hi all, How do you ensure maintenance staff are adequately qualified and competent.

Post by Bluecorn »

SunnFix wrote: Sun Aug 21, 2022 11:58 am

it really is that simple. All we need now is for the OTC to take action against providers who don’t meet the standard.
Its not the OTC's role, the contract, expectations, payments etc etc are entirely between the operator and the SP.
What could be more productive is communication between operators about the highs and lows of their respective SPs, w=so when you go to discuss issues with the SP, you know if your the odd one out or if its a more systemic failure - or success.
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