“Today’s fleet manager, or individual with fleet responsibility, needs to be more of a supply chain manager, managing the companies that are providing the professional help.”

And in order to choose the right supplier it’s essential to have a “basic grounding” in fleet and understand what is being acquired, according to Graham.

The budgets associated with the fleet role also make training imperative.

“Through our training and communication we want to make people aware that it’s not the cost of the car, it’s not even the monthly rental of the car, it’s everything that goes round it,” Graham says.

The changing role of the fleet manager has meant that the ICFM has had to evolve too.

It now trains fleet suppliers (such as employees from contract hire firms and rental companies) as well as fleet managers. More than 50% of its members are from the service sector.

Toyota and BMW have both put staff through ICFM training and Graham hopes more manufacturers and dealers will follow suit.

Training is provided at three levels:

• Introductory Leading to the Introductory Certificate in Car Fleet Management (aimed at “anyone coming into the fleet industry fresh”, according to Graham, and is typically the course manufacturer and dealer staff take part in).
• Intermediate Leading to a Certificate in Car Fleet Management.
• Advanced Leading to a Diploma in Car Fleet Management.

The ICFM has also developed a training programme with the BVRLA, aimed at sales and business development executives within BVRLA member companies.

An ICFM member survey carried out last year also highlighted a desire for refresher training on a regional basis for those that graduated a few years ago.

But updating the training modules takes time and money.

“When the corporate manslaughter bill was introduced in 2008, the ICFM had to lock itself away in a cupboard and come up with a new training module that clearly articulated what the bill was about,” Graham says.

“We’ve got the knowledge and expertise to do that but we need some financial help.”

The ICFM is a not-for-profit organisation and every penny – whether it be through sponsorship or member subscriptions – is invested in training, with the institute essentially run by committed volunteers who all have day jobs.

Although the education programme is at the heart of what the ICFM does, membership is not only about training.