The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) has awarded five Scottish companies with its Alba Recognition Awards for their contributions in helping research various forms of training across the UK motor industry.

The awards were presented to Vauxhall Motors, John Clark Motor Group, Phoenix Car Company, Imperial Commercials and Mercedes-Benz Glasgow at the Scottish Motor Trade Association (SMTA) annual dinner.

All the recipients provided feedback and information for return on investment (ROI) studies which aim to make relevant business cases for investment in skills across the automotive retail sector.

Steve Nash, IMI chief executive, said: “The recipients of this year’s Alba awards are all extremely deserving for the work they have done to advance the automotive sector as a whole.

“All the recipients have an exemplary record in ensuring their staff have all the skills they need to provide the best possible service to their clients. We are extremely hopeful that the valuable information they have provided will enable us to provide a compelling argument to employers that investment in skills will positively impact business performance.”

The aim of the IMI’s Return on Investment Programme is to compile compelling case studies about automotive companies generating tangible benefits from their investments in training and staff development.

Nash said: “With the information the recipients of the Alba recognition awards have provided we are aiming to present a strong case to those who may question the commercial value of training and in doing so help to ensure the future success of the sector as a whole.”

Findings of the IMI’s ROI studies are set to be released during November and December and cover automotive management and leadership, apprenticeships and accident repair.