The UK-based institute announced that it is now looking to partner with the Malaysian government and local institutions to help develop an international version of one of its latest qualification, the L4 Award in the Diagnosis, Testing and Repair of Electric/Hybrid Vehicles and Components (QCF).
The qualification will enable technicians to safely carry out repairs on the live high voltage electrical components and systems of electric or hybrid vehicles.
Developed in liaison with industry specialists, electric vehicle manufacturers, training providers, health and safety experts and the IMI Sector Skills Council, the UK version of the L4 qualification is the first of its kind to address working on electric or hybrid vehicle high voltage systems and components while the car’s engine is live and when it is potentially lethal to do so.
In the UK to date, 100 technicians have received this L4 award, with a further 1,500 holding the Level 3 qualification.
The IMI is a long time contributor to improving the training standards for the workforce in Malaysia’s automotive sector.
It is also in line with the nation’s aim to be a regional energy-efficient vehicle (EEV) hub.
The Professional Body now has 24 approved training centres in Malaysia, comprising of a mix of automotive companies and community colleges.
The existing 45 IMI electric vehicle assessors in Malaysia make the country even more eligible to offer the L4 qualification and the demand for assessors is expected to increase significantly in line with the development of the international version of the qualification.
The IMI L4 electric or hybrid vehicle qualification was originally developed in partnership with BMW with a view to providing the company with a benchmark standard against which it could establish the skills requirements for servicing its plug-in hybrid sports car, the BMW i8 and the fully electric i3 model.
This qualification will become a necessity across all makes and models as the electric vehicle sector matures.
“We see Malaysia as being ahead of others in this region in the area of electric vehicle adoption. With its conducive policies and a growing awareness of electric vehicles, Malaysia has a strong potential to become the main regional training hub for electric vehicles,” said IMI South-East Asia senior manager Matthew Stuart.
