After listening to the MOT trade's feedback we’re replacing MOT tester refresher training with a new model of annual training and assessment.
Over the past few years, MOT testers and garage owners told us how they'd like to see ‘more frequent, modular training’ put in place to help maintain their testing status.
So from April 2016 we’ll replace the old 5-year refresher course with a new programme of annual MOT training.
‘Bite-sized’ chunks
This new annual training will follow the continuing professional development (CPD) model allowing you to update your skills each year in manageable ‘bite-sized’ chunks.
The updated CPD approach will provide you with a way of refreshing your testing knowledge in way which suits you and your business over the course of a calendar year.
So in order to keep on testing, instead of taking refresher training once every 5 years, we’ll be asking you to complete at least 3 hours of MOT-based training every year, followed by an assessment.
Benefits of continuing development
We’ll publish an annual training course outline based on the latest MOT test error rates with subject areas which we know the MOT trade needs to pay more attention to.
This means all the training you undertake will be targeted to make sure you’re reading up on and practising skills which are the most relevant to today’s MOT industry.
In return, you can be sure your training will help to make a real contribution to the overall safety of vehicles on our roads.
Tester responsibilities
As the name of the training suggest, you’ll need to carry out and complete your MOT annual training every year between the start of April and the following March.
Along the way you’ll also be responsible for recording your training and then, when you’ve completed at least 3 hours, booking a final ‘reauthorisation’ assessment which you’ll need to pass to maintain your tester status.
The CPD model allows you the flexibility to mix and match your training methods based on what best suits your individual needs and requirements.
The choice is yours
For example, if you like working on your own you can decide to simply read up on the relevant skills outlined in the published syllabus and take the assessment when you feel ready.
Or, you could team up with some colleagues and run a question and answer or practical session to brush up on your skills.
Alternatively, you could pay the market rate for a professional training company to take you through what you need to know ahead of sitting the annual assessment.
Further information
Everything you need to know about how the new annual training will work and what you need to do is available in our take MOT tester annual training and assessments guidance.
There’s no need to worry - most testers already spend more than 3 hours each year updating their MOT knowledge, so the new annual training should be easy to manage.
219 comments
Comment by Ron Entwistle posted on
The annual assessment is a bad idea. NT's will be required to regurgitate line for line of the
well out of date MANUAL. This approach is not progress. The refresher course worked well
for testers, we learnt as much talking to other testers as we did from the trainer, all very valuable knowledge. Vehicles are getting more complicated, we do not get enough feed back from the
vehicle manufacturers. NT's only get three years to be aware of new systems applied to vehicles.
It is time for DVSA to get things right, the number of errors they make is unbelievable and yet no
disciplinary action is taken, we have been left with blank screens and angry customers on many
occasions. NT's are intelligent people, please don't treat us like IDIOTS.
Comment by Richard posted on
Cannot believe the DVSA have come up with this idea.
Im a technician/tester at a franchised main dealer, im having to spend a lot of my own time keeping up with modern developments in the modern motor vehicle as well as keeping up with latest dealings with mots, its just getting to much work.
I like to think of myself as a top quality tester, but with these recent developments I think I have to really consider letting my licence go, im lucky I don't really need my licence to keep my job, but I really feel for the people whos livelyhoods depend on the mot test.
And just for the record I was not ask for my feed back on all this either.
Its a very sad state of affairs.
Comment by mark posted on
knew nothing of this till now, unbelievable no words to describe the stupidity of this decision i for one will not be paying for the privilege and will be dropping out of the scheme as i iam a freelance self employed tester who only works part time anyway.
Comment by Laurence green posted on
We need to pass an exam every year!!! I thought when left school in 1969 that was an end to all that. I have noticed over the past few years they have taken things of the test that should be a fail and added things which have no effect to safety, example boot on a drop link , worst it is going to do is knock, but it dosnt matter if your brake discs are worn pitted or scored. I'm sorry I havnt got xray vision to say if they are weakened.
Comment by murray posted on
Lookes like a lot of people will be looking for a job out site mot ing me inc no way i will be paying £300.00 every year apart haveing to do it in my own time.
and only just compleating my last refresher to.
Comment by PAUL posted on
why don't the government be honest and just tell us they want to do away with private m.o.t stations and introduce national mot stations like in Europe, for many years we have given valuable service to the uk but now we are slowly being forced into a corner and the result will be closure of small m.o.t stations, Once again the government are changing something which is not broken, well done!
I just hope I can sign on the dole and claim benefits.
Comment by rob posted on
Why change things to make it diffcult for every one why not have yearly refresher this could put jobs on the line and rise unployment they rearly do need to re think this. Im a full time test if you dont pass you cant test that puts me out of a job what are they thinking
Comment by John Wilson posted on
I know some really good MOT Testers, Mechanics, Lorry Drivers, Transport operators and many more people in very demanding jobs, who have got to the top of there profession by hard work and loads of practical experience.
Most of them will tell you that at school they were not academic in any way, or when it came to sit an exam, but hey ho they all made it to the top without sitting any more exams, as have I.
Now here we go over 60yrs of age and have to sit an exam every year to do the job that I've been doing for the last forty odd years and be told by a faceless wonder sitting behind a desk that doesn't know one end of a car from the other whether or not I can work.
Ah well I'll just take early retirement, oh no I wont, I forgot I'm not a civil servant with a massive final salary pension, I'm a self employed proprietor of a rural garage who will have to work until the day I'm put in the box, what next then I wont even get dole money, silly me I've got assets.
Do all the civil servants and MPs etc. etc. have to sit an exam every year to be allowed to do there job??????????????
Big rule in the motor trade IF IT AINT BROKE DONT FIX IT.
Comment by George posted on
Getting assessed on your knowledge is OK as long as we have access to the TESTING MANUAL when you are doing the exam. I would guess that there is not one tester out there who knows everything about testing without having to refer to the manual at some point. So really its not about your knowledge but your ability to refer to the manual and apply the correct criteria as required.
Comment by Tony posted on
Spot on, no problem doing an assessment test, but like you say we need access to the manual at the time.
Comment by Rob posted on
They Sound like the Pollsters who got the Election result wrong!! The pollsters Asked the wrong people in the Polls!..DVSA have done the same thing and asked the wrong garages...Not real MOT stations...With every MOT station online it should have been possible for them to ask All members of the MOT community..Any other industry they Ask before making changes..List me some Jobs where you have to PASS an annual test or lose your Job! and PAY for the TEST!!..The DVSA have made loads of Misatke they never get in trouble! they wont have to PAY every years to keep ther JOBS!..Do Nurses + FireMan Have To take an Annual test and PAY for it!!..How can that be Fair!,,I am writing to my MP..and i advise every one who thinks its discrimination...Contact the MP
Comment by Damien Hornby posted on
My misses is a district nurse and has to pay the nursing and midwifery council a subscription fee to keep her job, she also has to prove regular training and has a yearly evaluation infront of her managers that lasts all day. DVSA hasnt said you have to pay, its one option.
Comment by Clive posted on
I am a freelance tester.............so I will be paying them for the assessment unless I can get someone to pay for me !! "fat chance"
Whilst I have no fear about sitting tests or assessments I feel that unless the DVSA publish with immediate affect the full details of the assessment and the what happens if`s our concern will just multiply.
Issuing sound bites of positive spin does little to calm the nerves
Comment by steve ohagan posted on
If You read the article you will see it's the assessment that you have to pay for.
Comment by Jean posted on
We have one computer in our garage so we would have to block out 3 hour slots for testers to do their training meaning no MOTs could be undertaken in that period and how can we guarantee the system will be working and not crash.
Comment by Damien Hornby posted on
If you read the article you dont have to pay, its an option to pay an outside contractor to provide you with training not a mandatory requirement.
Comment by phil posted on
if you read this link https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-training
it clearly stats that you have to pay to Sit the annual assessment
"Sit annual assessment
In order to maintain your testing status you’ll have to sit and pass an MOT annual assessment for the vehicle classes you test.
They’ll be delivered by training providers and you should expect to pay for each of your annual assessments at market rates.
Each assessment will contain questions based on the topics you’ll have covered under the current year’s annual training syllabus, currentMOT special notices and general MOT testing knowledge.
If you fail to sit and pass your annual assessment during the course of your training year this could affect your testing status and you could face disciplinary action."
Comment by steve ohagan posted on
It's very dangerous giving private profit making companies the power to strike off an NT. If the government think there won't be any corruption they are being very naive. Lets all push for an online assessment signed off by the AEDM.
Comment by Rob Broadey posted on
It's about keeping roads safe not jobs safe. If you cannot pass a simple test should you be testing ?
Comment by Roy Whiting posted on
why were we not consulted , stupid why do we have to do all the training to become testers then have to be trained every year and if we don't pass we are out of a job cheers just to save dvsa money
Comment by Col. Costelloe posted on
I wonder what bright spark came out with this idea, what a ludicrous idea every year, three years would have been a better idea, but then again most of these types people who come out with this nonsense ideas can’t actually think? , I'm afraid it’s another case of someone sat in an office, who doesn't live in the real world trying to justify their big pay packets , who has to come up with some ridiculous idea to justify their existence with absolutely no regard for the risk, or cost, to the honest working man
Comment by James Kilpatrick posted on
Yet another cost passed onto the garage. We have already had to supply all the IT equipment ,now we have to pay for this. One minute It is ok for the powers to announce that we don't need training/refresher courses,no doubt they thought this would save them the cost of employing trainers,now they decide we the garage do training/assessing,but we the garage need to pay for It.This is deeply unfair,if they want us to have assessment courses then they should be supplied free. Does the government departments charge there own staff for training/assessments. I think not.
The departments mantra appears to be "Let's just pass what costs we can get away with onto the garages,they therefore reduce there costs and looks as if they are saving the taxpayer money,if they want to run a government scheme then they should pay for it,not expect garages to subsidise it. Meanwhile the mot test fee is still the same
Comment by neil posted on
so couple hours a year...or full days away from garage with travel costs,,,,,,,seems to me like its a no brainer
Comment by neil posted on
also on matter of MOT prices not going up..wonder if James gives discount or charges full price
Comment by rob posted on
protest all you want, it won't make any difference, they will ignore you, and go ahead with this ludicrous idea anyway, I'm afraid its just another case of someone sat in an office, who doesn't live in the real world, and has to come up with some ridiculous idea to justify their existence with absolutely no regard for the risk, or cost, to the honest working man
Comment by Paul Garbutt posted on
Unbelievable announcement!!
This is the recognition that interpersonal skills are no longer a core requirement as far as DVSA are concerned.
Faceless, Electronic machines are taking over & there's no power-off switch.
As a specialised class 1 & 2 tester this is an unwarranted inconvenience as the number of units & items checked at test per year, simply doesn't require this intrusion.
Surely 'the broad-brush' approach to the MoT scheme by DVSA to Q.C & trading requires some fine tuning.
Kind regards
Paul Garbutt.
Comment by Simon Smale posted on
I run my own MOT centre don't do any repairs, so every 5 years i gotta pay someone £100 a day while i go off to a refresher course which is fine. Always come home having learned something. I think this isn't to bad of a idea not sure why has to be every year maybe every other year would be fine. Changing the subject why isn't there VAT on mots COST ME A FORTUNE as cant go VAT registered!
Comment by neil posted on
how can MOT being vat zero rated cost garage money.??
Comment by Tester posted on
What on earth are you on about??? What's zero vat on MOTs got to do with you being Vat registered or not???
Comment by Damien Hornby posted on
I agree with the training and more regular assessments. I was a lifeboat crew member and we had competence based training whereby once a month a divisional inspector came out and assesed you. If you wernt quite up to scratch he would just mark you orange and you would be assesed the next month. if you still wernt ready they looked at more formal training at another station and reduced duties on the boat. We were trained to the highest standards to save lives but were never threatend with being taken off our jobs just like that. A LOT more information is needed like who provides the resource material, who decides when we are ready for the assessment, how much, where, how many attempts you get before being taken off the scheme..................... Im a self employed motorcycle mechanic and nt in my own small garage, i work on my own and mot testing is the backbone of my business. My wife and i are expecting our first baby and if i loose my testers licence i loose EVERYTHING! So i am more than a little concerned about the haphazard way DVSA is running things when i'm the one who will take the fall.
Comment by Shafkat husssin posted on
They start of by saying "they have listened to the mot trade".
What rubbish?
They are implying that this is what we wanted and somehow we should now be greatful.
I cant remember being consulted!
This is an absolute joke, its a money making excercise for them thats all. Think about all the training providers fighting for contracts, which they will pay for the priviledge.
Brian Bowley is right we need someone to stand up for us.
Comment by Tony posted on
DVSA make no money from this, Try reading the artical
Comment by Rob posted on
They are saving money...That means making money....
Comment by Ian bienias posted on
I think testers who know what they doing and pay attention to changes have nothing to fear although It should be free
Comment by jon posted on
the training should not be anything to worry about just an inconvenience read a simple sentence and understand it IE the training is free there is an option to pay for private training if you wish. Easy to interpret to me anyone that cant understand this is going to struggle to interpret the sentences in the manual
Comment by martin posted on
so what do we get for paying the test slot fees now then ?
access to a web site is all I can see
time will show us if this new system of training works , but it sounds like money for the boys again.
Comment by keith tuckley posted on
This idea is so bad for the testers and garage owners alike, for example if a garage owner relies solely on staff to do the tests for him then he looses his license not only does the tester but the garage owner and staff are now jobless and homeless as well !!!! to be signing a contract for your own job every year is not right in anyway, the stress of finding out about this today and in this manner is disgusting and to have more stress every year, so my business my home and my children's future is assessed every year. Ive said it before that these people who are sat in an office on a salary and don't live in the real world need locking up. Also a garage near to me new a week ago that this was coming and he does not test.
Comment by Tony posted on
If your testing standards are correct what are you worrying about
Comment by Graham Nicol posted on
Nobody asked me either,haven't seen sight nor sound of DVSA staff in at least 2 years,personally I would prefer a refresher course away from work as I found group discussions about problems much more helpful, it's just another way of passing the cost away from the state as far as I can see
Comment by Dave posted on
Bring back mot refreshers .
Comment by jon posted on
refreshers were a pain but no one ever failed them and was stopped from testing
Comment by Barry Templeman posted on
Another cost cutting scheme for the DVSA, no surprise there then. The cheek , you have to pay for it. 1 chance to pass, DVSA are not looking for testers. 40 years of testing gone, possibly for 1 incorrect answer. I'd like a £1 for every mistake I've seen over the years
made by the DVSA & their staff, wouldn't be a fortune but it would be a good sum.
Don't mind sitting the refresher, but where's the help & advise we used to get from the examiners we got free of charge. I feel like we are being thrown to the wolfs, yet again !!
Who & where are the NTs who want this, show us the evidence stop dictating !!
Comment by Rob posted on
Barry I agree 100%..I dont normally write on blogs but how can they justify Charging!!..
Comment by Andy posted on
What a bombshell ! What is the cost going to be ??
Comment by Ray Tyler posted on
I cannot see what all the fuss is about - Is it a cost cutting exercise? - probably - was the old style refresher course informative and helpful? - yes - Is this new way better or worse? - only time will tell - Have testers got the time to carry out regular CPD - Yes of course they have, its under 5 minutes a week of training at a time that best suits them. This is no different from reading the old special notices and acknowledging them in the way of a couple of questions - It has got to be good that testers are being made aware of changes in the industry - Is this new system going to take up valuable workshop time? - I think not - My testing station book one MOT after another and are reliant on customers turning up early or on time to ensure the workshop runs efficiently. In an ideal world that is what we would like to see happen, but we are reliant on the general public. There is not a week goes past when a customer at some point will miss the start time of their MOT for various reasons. The MOT tester will have on more than one occasion a spare 5 or 10 minutes per week. These are the times when CPD can be carried out with little or no effect on the workshop - This is certainly better than having to send a tester away for two days every 5 years on a refresher course costing the garage lost revenue and normally travel and possibly accommodation costs. I appreciate that most people do not like change but I feel given time the new system will be better for all. Lets face it the new cloud MOT system had a bumbling start but has settled down and dare I say it has become reliable. I will always give praise when praise is due and I say Well Done DVSA for the work so far - This whole new system is still work in progress - If there is any criticism there is a distinct lack of information from DVSA - We do get the regular acknowledgements that the system will be unavailable during some evenings but the last special notice we received was over year ago, but I am happy to accept that once everything is in place it will be a much better MOT system all round.
Comment by Lloyd posted on
You are in the minority here , its not the training that's the issue its the threat of disciplinary action or threat of suspension when you are already a nominated tester ? far better in my opinion to incorporate any training into the comp 2 system of which you praise ? why create uncertainty and cost for conscientious and diligent testers who already update their knowledge , don't forget about contract testers is not all about where you work etc I suggest ?
Comment by Tony posted on
who threatened disciplinary action and if you are a conscientious tester anyway there will be not cost for training.
Comment by Rob posted on
Tony ...You will have to pay for your exam....That is wrong! in the current economic climate..More costs is just wrong!. I have talked to three MOT stations about this and all 3 agree Training is a good Idea.. but charging is not right..
Comment by tim bowkett posted on
For me its the fact that they have out sourced the assessment so rather than being tested at the mot station using dvsa online account we will all have to go to a local training centre and pay at market rates for the assessment, the likely cost if it is going to be like the ATA inspection assessment will be above £300 for each tester each year, why not implement the test but keep it on the DVSA web portal, that way there is no Market rate charges going to other colleges and regulating bodies,
Comment by Rob posted on
£300!!! No way ...If thats true that is Just wrong!!Why are we having to pay?...
Comment by John b posted on
I think I will close my mot station and open an independent training shop for testers , As I'm sure I will earn more money doing this rather than breaking my back doing mots, maybe il ask for the contract off Dvsa as they seem ready to ship everything out and not keep it in house ? What a farse
Comment by phil posted on
just a couple of things I want to say,
1, Is it a cost cutting exercise? - probably
not probably defiantly DVSA are passing the cost to MOT station owners/MOT testers
2, was the old style refresher course informative and helpful? - yes - Is this new way better or worse? - only time will tell
yes you're absolutely right only time will tell (tho I think AE's will love it NT's will hate it, having to take an annual exam to continue testing is not a good idea in my opinion)
3, Have testers got the time to carry out regular CPD - Yes of course they have, its under 5 minutes a week of training at a time that best suits them. This is no different from reading the old special notices and acknowledging them in the way of a couple of questions
two points here, 1 yes I'm sure all testers have got 5 mins to spare a week but are you expecting them to remember something they read 5-6-7 months ago when it comes to the annual assessment (witch determines if they can continue testing) or are you going to give them a few hours just before the test to some revision?
2 the pressure difference between a VE face to face asking about a special notice is going to be a lot different than basically sitting an exam
4, It has got to be good that testers are being made aware of changes in the industry - Is this new system going to take up valuable workshop time? - I think not
what are you going to do if a tester takes the annual assessment and fails?
they can't test until they pass, I'm going to guess it's going to take longer to rearrange and get booked in for another test than the 2 days he(she) would be on a refresher course
5, My testing station book one MOT after another and are reliant on customers turning up early or on time to ensure the workshop runs efficiently. In an ideal world that is what we would like to see happen, but we are reliant on the general public. There is not a week goes past when a customer at some point will miss the start time of their MOT for various reasons
this happens at every testing station at some point, customers are stupid deal with it, it's never going to change
6, The MOT tester will have on more than one occasion a spare 5 or 10 minutes per week.
see point 3
7, These are the times when CPD can be carried out with little or no effect on the workshop - This is certainly better than having to send a tester away for two days every 5 years on a refresher course costing the garage lost revenue and normally travel and possibly accommodation costs
staff training costs are part of your overall business expenses, also see points 3 & 4
8, I appreciate that most people do not like change but I feel given time the new system will be better for all. Lets face it the new cloud MOT system had a bumbling start but has settled down and dare I say it has become reliable. I will always give praise when praise is due and I say Well Done DVSA for the work so far - This whole new system is still work in progress - If there is any criticism there is a distinct lack of information from DVSA - We do get the regular acknowledgements that the system will be unavailable during some evenings but the last special notice we received was over year ago, but I am happy to accept that once everything is in place it will be a much better MOT system all round.
I agree with you on this part
Comment by michael savage posted on
Do's the new training include all roles site managers that are not testers or AE that are not testers. there is no mention of there training.
Comment by David Wright posted on
I feel so sad that Mot testing has come to this. I have been a tester for almost 30yrs with no problems. I had no idea this was coming, wasn't until I read about it in an independent garage magazine last weekend.(12/)2/16)
I'm sure that the so called 'surveys' carried out by DVSA are totally fictitious. Its clear this is purely a cost saving exercise which I'm sure will be regretted by many. I can't see, personally that any good will come from it. Just a lot of heartache for hard working Mot testers.
Comment by paul bufton posted on
i have on problem doing online test but why should we have to pay for it the refresher test was free before if they want us to do a test they dvsa should pay
Comment by Rob posted on
It's absolutely ridiculous and It seems a lot of testers like me weren't involved in this feedback!! This will cost the self employed garages more money so will we expect the the test fee to increase? I agree that the refresher should just be lowered to keep up with the constant changes.
Comment by Ben mayne posted on
Or is it complete 3 hours elearning and then complete an online question and answer exam ?
I'm guessing you'll have the opportunity to re sit this at lest once before your suspended from testing ?
Comment by Matters of Testing posted on
Hi Ben,
The assessment will be 'open book' and online. It should take no more than 45 minutes to complete and will contain 30 multiple choice questions.
The pass mark for each assessment is 50% but if you fail you’ll be given time to go back over your training and sit further assessments before any action is taken. You can sit the assessment as many times as you want for that year’s annual training syllabus but you’ll have to pay each time you sit an assessment.
You can find more information on the annual assessment here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-training#sit-annual-assessment
Regards
Thomas
Comment by Ben mayne posted on
3 hours over 12 months isn't a massive concern
Plus I can sit at home at my leisure
One thing I am unsure of is will there be enough DVSA staff available to carry these annual inspections ?
How many test stations around 27,000
How many testers ?
Comment by Mark posted on
We all need to stick together get a petition going online so we can sign against coz there playing with are jobs!
Comment by Rob posted on
Yep spot on i will sign...But like many will say.. wont make a difference
Comment by Rebecca posted on
do we know how much the test is going to cost
Comment by Matters of Testing posted on
Hi Rebecca,
We expect the assessments to be priced between £25 and £75 per assessment. However, this price range will be subject to change over time and dependent on individual training provider rates and deals.
You can find more detailed information about the annual assessment here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-training#complete-annual-training
Regards
Thomas
Comment by john posted on
basically if a tester doesnt pass his exam every 12 months he could be unemployed ,so with this new CPD you are basically working a 12 months contract ,so dont take out loans or mortgages you can guarantee being employed , do any trades have to do this every 12 months ,I will going to see my MP about this
Comment by clve posted on
You have a very valid point there irrespective of whether we agree with the test /assessment or not. Lenders will not lend money to anyone for a protracted period of time if there is a chance that after 12 months there is no job.
Comment by jamie posted on
garages and testers need to email or go to the surgery 0f MP andrew jones for harrogate the junior minister in charge of the mot scheme and protest and him tell we dont want cpd
Comment by Andy posted on
ive sent my mail to andrew the MP i believe we should all do this and stick together, this is our lively hoods
Comment by I'm not telling you posted on
No way! I worked hard and long to finally get my license and now your telling me I've got to do "training" and sit a final assessment exam which needs to be passed to keep my tester status? You can't drop a bomb like that on people it's not fair! Your going to loose alot of testers and then we'll have more unsafe cars on the road possibly without even having any mot on them. It's a stupid poxy idea and another way the government is screwing over the working class of the country
Comment by Colin posted on
Do testers also relies that they have to fork out of there own pocket each year for this exam !!!!!!!!
there will be a lot of testers not testing, and there's already a shortage !!!
Comment by Bill posted on
when & where was the decision made any paper work to back it up.No special notice was ever produced . This just comes out off the blue.Refresher course were more intresting we all Testers with new ideas.
Comment by jamie phillips posted on
i was never asked if I rather CPD or a refresher course ,I would rather a refresher every 2 or 3 years ,the part time tester will just stop testing and the new testers will be charged for courses ,the government have been very sly ,now we to have pay for the IT equipment and private firms will charge for CPD and QC checks , and we still have garage charging $20 an mot in my area ,mot were $24 in 1994 ,we need a minimum mot fee and increase to about $70 ,imagine if british gas were running it would about $200
Comment by owen posted on
3 hours per year in front of a computer i can live with not so much exam .better than traveling the other end of the country for refresher it all costs money
Comment by Mark posted on
I think all testers should have there say in a vote because this is looking unfair
Comment by nayeem butt posted on
hi all why not have on line theory type test where the answer is in a option of 3 or 4 questions there is a possible 3 or 4 in one chance of getting right and also publication of all question asked covered just like in the theory test
Comment by Rich posted on
This is so wrong, so every year got to pass a test to carry on testing,,stupid idea.... why can't they just do a refresher every 3 years instead of 5??? simple...
Comment by Matters of Testing posted on
Thanks for all your comments. We really appreciate all your feedback regarding the new changes to MOT training.
Here's why we've replaced the 5 year refresher course. At the last customer satisfaction survey (2013) of the MOT trade, respondents said that they were less satisfied with 5 yearly refresher courses and that they would prefer more frequent training.
Annual training will take the same amount of time as the old refresher training, just in smaller, more frequent batches.
We know that travelling to a DVSA test centre for a course wasn’t convenient for some people. We want to give you a choice between studying to a plan of your own or taking a training course. So from April you will be able to train wherever you like and choose the training that suits you best.
Although we’re freeing up your training options, DVSA is still responsible for making sure you complete your annual training. The exam - MOT annual assessment - is there to make sure that all MOT testers are keeping up the skills and knowledge they need to continue testing to the excellent standards they already achieve for safer vehicles on Britain’s roads.
Regards
Thomas
Comment by Andy posted on
i was never given the survey to reply to and give my thoughts????
Comment by Martin posted on
and how much will this assessment cost typically and in what form?
A online questionnaire made by the dvsa for each testing class would be the simplest and should be cost free.
Or how about this idea. Actually have a annual site assessment in person by someone from the dvsa where they can check your knowledge level.. like they used to!
Comment by Matters of Testing posted on
Hi Martin,
The MOT annual assessment will be 'open book' and online. Each assessment should take no more than 45 minutes to complete and will contain 30 multiple choice questions. We expect the assessments to be priced between £25 and £75 per assessment. However, this price range will be subject to change over time and dependent on individual training provider rates and deals.
More detailed information about the assessment is available here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-training#sit-annual-assessment
Regards
Thomas
Comment by Brian bowley posted on
This is typical dvsa we now have to pay for the purchase and upkeep of all it equiptment the cost of running the scheme is on our shoulders and now we have to pay for training with the possibility of not being allowed to test . Has the ost of test slots come down of course it hasn't is it cost cutting of course it is . We need someone to stand up for us come on we are on the whole contentious and honestly running the mot testing of vehicles ,that should be aknoledged . Very disappointed .
Comment by Emma posted on
Being able to train at work is a great idea, so is an online test. What isn't good is that you still charge the same for an MOT slot as you did when we got paper forms, computers, printers and free refresher courses and a great telephone helpline which would allow you to contact them to process MOT's if your computer system failed.
What do we get now for the same money, ummmm an online system which we have to have access to via the internet via 2 methods as there is no help if the broadband fails. We get no paper, no printer, no computer, no refresher courses, no helpline (or what is offered is very limited).
So over the last 2 years our costs have increased considerable, DVSA costs have reduced considerably BUT we still pay the same per slot.
Now you say that we have to pay to have refresher training and I am assuming that we will also have to pay if we want to become an MOT tester. There is no indication of what cost this will be to the garages. If it is £20 a go and if you don't quite make the grade there is online help available for you to have another go for free and not an immediate loss of your testing qualification - then that sounds fair. A grading system saying more work on a topic is needed and the exam sat again in 6 months, a less harsh approach unless someone gets every question wrong. The way it is currently worded makes it appear it is 1 strike and you are out.
The customer satisfaction survey that is referred to - people probably did say they would prefer to have more frequent training and prefer it to be online or closer to where they worked. But I doubt people said they would like to pay for it, or be worried about losing their livelihood over it if they make 1 small error.
Comment by Tony S posted on
Quite a few good points raised here.
It's about time DVSA came up with a good response and cleared up all of the confusion.
I'm sure that they are working on it.
The main concerns I think is the cost of the test and the thought of being struck off for getting a few questions wrong.
Comment by Nigel posted on
I am not against evaluation but no centralized training and private companies delivering tests at our expense (which you have not been clear on, that probably will cause a major back lash especially from independent garages) bottom line HOW MUCH!!
Comment by Ray posted on
Thomas, whoever he is, has commented above.
It may have been a good idea if he had read some of the comments and concerns before making his irrelevant reply.
Where do we get these people from!
Comment by Geoff posted on
I feel the introduction of the new scheme should have been given more thought with far more details being released and less heavy handed threats. Help and guidance I have always found the best way to get the better results.
Comment by mike posted on
Why will the DVSA and the government departments responsible for vehicle testing not set the testing fee at a fixed value?I have asked this several times of various dvsa officials and their reply is that the price charged is down to market forces (i.e. supply and demand) In my naive outlook on the world I thought that the mot was introduced for vehicle safety.
I feel the dvsa needs to take a view of itself and ask why it is not giving it's customers (the testing stations) the service they deserve.
Comment by Lloyd Scrase posted on
I agree with most of the comments on here , why not keep the refresher course as is but reduce it from 5 yrs to a Annual one ?, It is also suggested that this was based on NT's feedback , know one asked myself or anyone I know who's a tester ? , if i've sat the training and passed the practical to become a tester why do I have to have the stress and uncertainty of not passing year on year , surely if you are going to do this why can it not be intranet based and linked to your user I.D /profile etc ?
Comment by Paul Brogdon posted on
Training is a very important part of mot testing so lets have it done out of the workplace and run by your expert staff. I would be interested to see the outcome of a vote have on this issue. Computers dont test vehicles!!!! lets keep these machines for information and recording,what they do best.
Comment by Zab posted on
This is absolutely obsured I was not asked no feedback about this.
I prefer the refresher course as this is to time consuming most tester work a 6-7 day week we don't have time to sit and do a exam aswell.
Also we have to pay for the exam from our own pocket that's totally unfair.
Once in 3-5 years was absolutely fine,just messing everything up and then saying the testers decided this which is false.
Comment by Duncan Jones posted on
I really think we need to stick to the refresher course which has been very informative and helpful over the years.
Comment by Graham Lester posted on
Apparently this is being introduced after listening to testers feedback!! well i certainly wasn't asked..wonder who was...seems to me just another way of putting more burden on the tester...I'm all for safety and sorting wrongly done MOT's..but I don't feel this will go very far to rectify those problems
Comment by Mr M Ramzan posted on
Why not have a refresher course every 3 year interval it makes sense i found attending the refresher course very helpful in the passed away from the work place
bring back the refresher course it was helpful in every way!!!
Comment by Mark posted on
Hi we all took an exam to be a tester so why all of a sudden we have to take one every year and if you dont pass it even if you have done the 3 hours training you cant test there playing with peoples jobs
Comment by Colin posted on
Really bad decision, most nt's wont get time to do training on site
because of the work load.
training is best done away from the work place, as there would be no distraction's !!!
Why fix something that's not broken ???
Comment by Andy posted on
what a crazy idea, i agree with paul i found the refresher course very helpful the old way
Comment by Roger Thomas posted on
I don't see a problem with annual refresher courses, that is if the refresher courses are carried out in local universities or colleges not as it used to be where someone from Cornwall had to drive to Exeter or Bristol, so 10 NT drove 150 miles plus accommodation instead of 1 of the VOSA staff at the time driving 150 miles and staying in a hotel, that's what I call stupid.
Comment by Tony posted on
Quite agree with you Paul, my guess is it's a cost saving way forward for DVSA
Tony
Comment by Paul Brogdon posted on
who's bright idea is this??? Lets stick to the refresher course which I have found very informative and helpfull over the years.
Comment by David brown posted on
I can't believe what I'm reading.
What a ridiculous idea
Comment by Russ posted on
I can't see this making testing standards any better, for me the refresher course should be every three years, two days in a class room with someone to clear up grey areas and problems that we all come across from day to day can not be inproved upon. THIS NEW SYSTEM IS A JOKE
Comment by Barry posted on
What a joke to face disciplinary action if you fail exam is not a good idea far better to have to have more training on those areas that you fail on than be worried of being unable to test and possibly loosing your job.As others have said some people do not perform well sitting exams but are good testers.May be if we all just gave up our mot tesing status they would have to have a re-think on the ill thought out scheme. All for more training but not an annual test as it is.
Comment by David posted on
Hear hear!