Thatcham Research

Thatcham Research is a not-for-profit automotive risk intelligence organisation that operates the Thatcham Research Automotive Academy to deliver apprenticeship and technical training for the UK vehicle repair sector. The Automotive Academy provides world‑class apprenticeship training in state‑of‑the‑art facilities in Thatcham, Berkshire, with a blended model that combines eLearning via its online ecademy portal, centre-based training and workplace support from development coaches. Apprenticeships focus on body repair roles including Paint, Panel, Mechanical Electrical Trim (M.E.T.) and Vehicle Damage Assessor (VDA), with programmes designed around a modern, relevant curriculum aligned to future industry needs. The Academy has an Ofsted ‘Good’ rating and is approved by the Education & Skills Funding Agency and listed on the Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers. Thatcham Research supports employer partners through the full apprenticeship lifecycle, offering advice on funding rules and learner journeys, recruitment support, on‑programme coaching, and post‑apprenticeship development and retention planning. In addition to apprenticeships, the Academy provides training and accreditation for experienced technicians who need to update or re‑affirm their skills in repairing today’s increasingly complex vehicles. The organisation states it has trained more than 0m+ apprentices since the academy opened in the mid‑1990s and positions apprenticeships as essential to creating a future‑ready and sustainable UK body repair industry.