THREE Okehampton technicians have become part of a groundbreaking nation-wide move to raise the standards of car servicing. Allan Balsdon, James Greenall and Graham Spier, of Balsdon's Vehicle Services Ltd, Okehampton, have all become part of the new UK initiative that aims to raise standards of car servicing and repair by testing the current competence of vehicle technicians. Austin Kiely, assistant manager at Balsdon's Vehicle Services, said: 'We are proud to be involved in this new initiative which will show our customers the importance of having skilled professionals. 'Vehicles are becoming increasingly sophisticated and complex, so it's vital that there is a recognised benchmark of technical competence. 'All three of our technicians passed the tests showing outstanding competence and technical knowledge.' The three technicians have all achieved their Automotive Technician Accreditation (ATA), a voluntary assessment scheme that proves a technician's competence and is aimed at giving peace of mind to customers, as well as raising professional standards. To achieve accreditation, a technician must sign a code of conduct and then pass a series of practical tasks as well as a knowledge test. Successful individuals are then issued with a photo ID card and listed on a public online register. ATA is supported by all major vehicle manufacturers, the Department of Trade and Industry, Trading Standards and consumer groups.
