The Mechanics Association of Ireland has held the first of what it hopes will be many training sessions aimed at improving the level of skills and knowledge of its members, all of whom are either fully qualified mechanics or motor trade apprentices.

The evening was organised by M.A.I. education officers David Connolly and Conor Whelan and held at the Euro Car Parts training facility in Santry. The theme of the event was to provide the many who attended with a better understanding of Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS) and included a practical demonstration of how to calibrate a vehicle using the latest Hella Gutmann calibration equipment.

The organisers were very pleased with both the very good attendance and positive feedback and are now in the process of organising further training sessions for MAI members.

Speaking about future plans M.A.I Chairman James Donohoe said, "One of the key objectives of the MAI is help fill the training gap that many mechanics face. It is essential for mechanics to stay up-to-date with new technology and effective training is the best way to do this. We want to instil confidence in our mechanics to tackle new challenges that arise and we want to re-establish the customer’s trust of mechanics in Ireland. This is one area of the trade where the M.A.I. is seeking to actively improve standards and our first training event was a positive step in the right direction.”