The Automotive Technician Accreditation (ATA) is a trade qualification for all facets of automotive repair in the United Kingdom. It is a voluntary scheme (not legally binding) similar to that for electricians run by the NICEIC and similarly, is not government-run.
History
It began in June 2005. It was introduced because the level of complexity required to maintain cars needed more competent technicians, from ATA-registered garages.
Technicians are trained at over 500 approved centres (FE colleges and commercial training organisations) around Britain. Each set of practical tests for each type of accreditation takes around a day, with an online test (for simplicity of marking). It takes place at an IMI Awards Ltd centre.