Another short week, with Roadshows keeping the CRA busy. This week’s CRA-6 is shorter than normal due to the travelling around on roadshows.
A video made of the practical sessions held for the Golden Gun and Golden Hammer finalists has been receiving good feedback. The link to this video on YouTube is here: https://youtu.be/ePD3EnP1EEc.
The Green list update, adding panel and refinish technicians back onto the green list, is great news. The support CRA has had from the MTA advocacy team is gratefully acknowledged. This doesn’t solve the problems, but it does contribute to a better outcome.
Not so good is the continued downward trend in new apprentices in training in collision repair with MITO. The trend is for a declining number of people completing and starting collision repair training.
- 65 have completed their training so far in 2025, with 511 in ongoing training.
- In July last year (2024), we had 50 complete with 575 in ongoing training.
- In 2023, we had 86 complete, with 586 in ongoing training.
- The first Automotive Industry transition meeting was held last week; this group is charged with bringing MITO into industry ownership. The transition team is chaired by Sturrock Saunders, with Vice Chair the ex-CRA Chairperson, Warren Flowerday.