Final call for 2026 IMI Skills Competition nominations

Learners to register by 27th March and complete online knowledge test by 17th April for an opportunity to showcase automotive skills and strengthen technical ability.

Potential competitors have until this Friday, 27th March, to register for the 2026 IMI Skills Competitions - headline sponsored by Milwaukee Tools - with the online knowledge test deadline the 17th April.

Celebrating the emerging talent in the motor industry, the IMI Skills Competitions provide a national platform for learners, employers and training providers to demonstrate capability at the highest level. It offers an unrivalled opportunity for professional mentorship and development, testing competitors’ technical ability, resilience and professionalism while helping them build new skillsets to keep pace with the evolving industry.

The competitions boast a diverse cohort of competitors. It is open to all learners, whether studying an automotive qualification or completing an apprenticeship within the last 12 months. Learners at any level are all welcome, with many participants returning at higher levels to continue developing their skills.

Learners from a wide range of backgrounds have benefitted from the IMI Skills Competitions including Daniel Morris, a dairy farmer turned vehicle technician. Now completing an IMI Level 3 Diploma in Light Vehicle Maintenance and Repair, he has taken advantage of the extra training and masterclasses that the competitions afforded him to accelerate his learning and career development. Daniel reached the WorldSkills UK final, an incredible achievement for himself and his employer, Northgate Vehicle Hire.

Steve Coble, UK Head of Workshop Operations, Northgate Vehicle Hire said, “We are immensely proud of Dan getting to the final in WorldSkills UK, as it recognises and showcases his commitment to high standards of work and Northgate's commitment to training and development support.”

Nominations for the IMI Skills Competitions can be made across three disciplines: Automotive Technology (Light Vehicle), which this year is sponsored by WD40, Automotive Repair and Automotive Refinishing. Reflecting the growing need for skills across the latest automotive technologies, the Competitions have been elevated to include tasks on EVs and ADAS.

Michael Massey, the IMI’s Skills Competitions Manager added, “I am continually impressed by the diverse backgrounds and career journeys of IMI Skills competitors. Whether completely new to the motor industry or a returning competitor, learners help showcase the dynamism and emerging talent within the automotive sector, while helping raise standards for employers across this future-focussed profession.”

The Competition Cycle

The first round of the Competitions requires employers and centres to register competitors who will then complete an online test to demonstrate their technical knowledge. Top scorers from the online tests will gain a place in the National Qualifiers which will take place in May at the Eyebox Training and Conference Centre in Coventry for Automotive Repair and Automotive Refinishing and the Delphi Academy in Leamington Spa for Automotive Technology.

The top six competitors in each skill stream of the National Qualifiers will be invited to attend an IMI training day in the run-up to live finals in November in Cardiff. After the finals, age-eligible winners may have the opportunity to progress with Team UK to the biannual WorldSkills International competition to be held in Japan in 2028.

To shine a light on the new talent in the UK automotive sector and highlight the excellent learning delivered across the industry, employers and FE colleges simply need to complete the nomination form on the WorldSkills website with the consent of their nominees. Entry is free and can even earn employers and FE colleges additional free training for their nominated employees, with the competition counting towards 20% of on-the-job training in an apprenticeship.

Find out more and submit your nominations to be part of the IMI Skills Competitions in 2026.