Five of Copart's vehicle damage evaluators (VDE), including two currently undertaking engineering apprenticeships with Thatcham, took part in the first phase of the programme in December.
Each VDE spent two days in a Solus Accident Repair Centre, covering key topics and actions essential to the development objectives associated with learning about the vehicle repair journey.
Russ England, engineering services manager, said:
"This student exchange programme supports our VDEs personal development and Thatcham apprenticeship training by exposing them to real-life bodyshop experiences which they would not normally get to see, and when we host Solus apprentices throughout 2022 they will gain valuable insights into the salvage sector.
With a well-publicised skills shortage within the sector, it's more important than ever to provide our engineers of the future with a comprehensive understanding and appreciation of the full policy holder customer journey to enable them to provide the best service possible."
Holly Rose, learning & development manager at Copart, said:
"We have very close and collaborative working relationships with our insurance customers and partners, so we were delighted to have this opportunity to work together on this exciting learning and development initiative.
"By sharing skills and building knowledge across both businesses, we are not only providing teammates with invaluable personal development and career progression opportunities, but we are improving the overall customer experience for our buyers, sellers, and policy holders."
Ayode Duroshola, learning & development partner at Solus, added:
"The opportunity to create an exchange programme in partnership with Copart, is a significant learning and development milestone, which increases avenues for shared learning, collaborative working, and ensures continual professional development for both organisations.
"The success of the first Copart cohort who found their time at Solus to be an extremely valuable experience, demonstrates that development projects such as this are vital in the sharing of knowledge and best practices, especially in a constantly evolving industry. As Solus continues to host Copart delegates throughout 2022, we look forward to our colleagues visiting Copart premises to help expand their knowledge and understanding for the benefit of the Aviva customer."