Identity cards have long been a hot-potato – and the issue has once again come to the top of the news agenda in relation to vaccination records and travel.

 

Personally I can’t see the problem with having an identity card, but it is somehow deemed as being ‘not British’ and an affront to our human rights. After all we can’t drive without possessing a licence (now a plastic card), we seniors have a bus pass plastic card – and now I’ve got a card showing I have had two jabs (kept under lock and key at night!).

 

So I couldn’t help noticing the news item in this week's newsletter about IAgrE offering members access to a card that many construction sites now require to allow technicians and others to enter and work on equipment without supervision.

 

With more and more dealers taking on construction lines from manufacturers, the issue is becoming ever more relevant. And in any case, servicing dealers from across the sector now sell and service equipment used in a variety of applications such as hospitals, government buildings, local authorities, research establishment, airfields, MOD facilities where formal accreditation may be needed.

 

So why don’t we as an industry create our own identity card that encompasses qualifications gained across college and manufacturers' training which reflects the multi-franchise nature of our business?

 

Hang on, we’ve got one – and have had one since December 2007!

 

The Landbased Technicians Accreditation scheme (LTA) was launched to a large and enthusiastic industry audience almost 12 years ago. It has since been renamed the Landbased Training Accreditation scheme, to apply to wider skills sets such as Parts personnel. Displayed at the launch were identity cards, personalised decals for vans and promotional material.

 

A posse of service vans representing all the key tractor franchises bedecked with LTA decals were lined up for a photo-shoot at Cereals.

 

Since then, what?

 

Now such an initiative would only ‘fly’ if dealers felt they needed such a scheme – which they most certainly said they did back in 2007. But then it was underpinned and funded by manufacturers who have since seemingly gone cool on the initiative.

 

The scheme would seem to be possibly even more relevant today, however it needs the oxygen of publicity. But that needs money, and the members (AEA, BAGMA and IAgrE) of the cross-industry Landbased Engineering Training and Education Committee (LETEC) who administer the scheme will probably say that without manufacturer support their hands are tied.

 

Which is a pity, given the whole-hearted support to the scheme all those years ago. And here, as Boris might say, is ‘an oven-ready’ package ready to go!