TIGOSE visit to Guild member Barnet and Southgate College – BSC

More than a dozen members of the 96 Club drove their classics from the Belgravia Sunday morning meeting to the BSC Auto Body and Paint training centre in Enfield, where they joined a parade of classic cars, many of which had been refurbished by the apprentices at BSC, a member of the Guild.

The centre delivers IMI apprenticeships and IMI accreditations in vehicle paint and bodywork and the open day saw presentations from:

• Ann Zinkin Chair of Governors,
• Kevin Haggarthy, Head of Industry Liaison & Motor Sports Automotive Technologies Department, and
• Michael Scott, Tigose’s founder

Michael regaled the audience with tales of his own engineering apprenticeship, his enthusiasm for the apprenticeship scheme and the pride of the Guild in being partners with the college. Kevin stressed the market-driven nature of the courses and the breadth of ages welcomed as apprentices:

“As part of the Trailblazer programme, the scheme is not restricted to young people. Also, we are going to buy some classics and rebuild them, when these cars are sold, the apprentices will get a share. This is all part of business acumen training, as well as the hands-on skills.”

Kevin Haggarthy (at left) presented the tutorial team and spoke of their dedication and support for the apprenticeship scheme.

Ann Zinkin spoke of the evolving nature of the centre:

“It is really starting to come good, the delight one sees on a customer’s face when they collect their beautifully restored car is testament to the hard work of our apprentices and tutors.”

One such customer is Lisa Etherington whose Karmann Ghia was proudly displayed in the bodyshop. Lisa said:

“Having my car body done here was very good value; it involved cutting-out lots of rust and filler, putting right some very poor work done previously, such as welding the body to the chassis. While BSC fitted some new panels, they also repaired and even made some sections, which saved me a lot of money.”

Happy customer Lisa Etherington shows off the newly refinished body of her Karmann Ghia coupe