Learning in the lock-down: our tools and tips

COVID-19 has changed so much – work, study and teaching. Many of you will be teaching from home, parents will be trying to become teachers, students and apprentices are trying to learn with limited resources. We want you to know that the IMI Student and Careers teams are here to help you in whatever way we can.

We're passionate about new talent joining our industry, starting a career and succeeding in whichever arena you choose.

Here are the main tools and tips we're providing for you.

Students

For students and apprentices on furlough there are a number of ways you can keep up to date with your studies and our IMI Student website is there to guide you. Whether it's technical information, practice tests, wellbeing or soft skills, we want to make sure you have the tools you need to enter the next stage of your automotive career.  

And if you haven't signed up for IMI Student membership yet, it's a simple case of visiting the website and registering for free. It's there for anyone studying an IMI qualification and you'll then be entitled to the full range of benefits to help you through lockdown and beyond.

You could start your continued learning by accessing two free electric vehicle eLearning modules, with six further modules available at a reduced rate for students. 

Tutors

Tutors of IMI Centres that may need a helping hand also have access to the student website but will need special permission to view more resources via the Tutor tab. Just email us at student@theimi.org.uk to gain entry.

Careers Leaders

We know this has been a tough time for careers leaders, and we have been working hard to try and provide tools to take some of the pressure off. On our careers website we have many free and downloadable resources to support your pupils including explanation of the 150+ roles in our industry, career labour market information, career panel discussions and a wealth of short videos from apprentices talking about their jobs. Our CEIAG and staff are Matrix-accredited and are happy to help with any questions you may have, so if you have something you want to ask, let us know.

Parents

As a parent it can be hard to know where to start and to occupy your children while they're spending a lot more time at home and without the stimulation of school which is why we have set up specific help for you, offering parent-specific resources that will ease the pressure as part of our Autocity website.

There's a parents' guide to help you navigate the options available in the industry, allowing you and your child to explore the many and varied roles, what each entails, qualifications needed and how much they could expect to earn. There are also virtual tours of workplaces and so much more.

Teachers

If you're wondering how to keep your students engaged or what work you can set for them, our Autocity site also has a raft of resources that may help. There are 52 lesson plans covering STEM Subjects, ICT and business, employability toolkits and activities to encourage creativity and imagination including the 'Design the Future' competition. We are always looking for ways to help you meet Gatsby benchmarks and welcome your feedback, so if you have any questions email us.

Times of crisis make communication even more important, so if you have any questions that you need answering or want to discuss how the IMI can help you, please contact us on +44 (0)1992 519025, or email. We're here to help.

And for all the latest updates and for government-specific information head to our dedicated COVID-19 website.

Look after yourselves and your families.

With our best wishes,

Rikki and The Careers Team