www.aftermarketonline.net Afternoon The afternoon kicked off with the arrival of the next set of semifinalists. They were George Bettley from Crewe SEAT, Simon Parkinson of SP Motorlec, Jack Richards of Millers Garage, Mark Sturgess, from Keen and Betts in West Sussex and David Weston from Kia UK. Previous TT runner-up Simon Parkinson said: “I’m glad to be back and I am excited to get started.” David Weston said: “I have been doing it for years. I absolutely love it. You never know what you don’t know until you try.” Mark Sturgess was new to the semi-final. He observed: “I have no idea what to expect.” After their first tasks, those in the afternoon cohort also has some observations. George said: “It all went a bit mad. Jack said: “It is completely different from when the boss is breathing down your neck.” David added: “The challenging thing is to talk it.” Once all five tasks were completed in both sessions, the contestants were rounded up for a de-brief. “I know it is tough” noted Ian, “but well done.” Steve went onto observe about his Fiesta task: “Basic inspection got missed – no one checked the oil. Also, fuel trim levels, don’t forget those. Great diagnostics and use of the scope though, so well done.” On his ID4 task, Wilf said: “You needed Level 4 knowledge on this. It was a simple task, and all doable in the software but you do need the knowledge. You all had a good crack and you all scored points.” On the Golf window issue, David said: “There was some really good use of the Pico scope, and good process from most of you.” Ian then rejoindered: “I think you all got the Motul task. Everyone probably struggled on the board, but just remember it could have a low voltage going up to it, but what is coming out?” Finally, on the tyres, Glenn said: “My task was really self-explanatory. What was interesting was the different levels of knowledge on puncture repair, so well done.” He added: “A lot of you will go away and kick yourself, but you are in the top percentage. We have no idea who is through to the final yet.” Interesting Top Technician could not happen without the backing of both sponsors and supporters. One of the Full Event Partners for 2023 for both competitions has been ALLDATA Europe. Technical Support Specialist Steve Derham was present for much of the day. He observed: “I have found it very interesting. The level of expertise in the industry is so high, but you can get stumped by the simple things. For example, it is really interesting that there is tyre repair here today as many mechanics don’t touch tyres. People entering this may expect it to be top-level diagnostics, so putting the tyres in is important; A tech doers everything from the ground up.” On how Top Technician and Top Garage sync up with the ALLDATA Europe mission, Steve said: “From a training perspective, Delphi have OE info they can use. The guys on the workshop floor need that information, which is why ALLDATA Europe is involved.” He added: “I also noticed the wide age range. You would expect the older guys to be in the top tier with their experience, but you never know, so it will be interesting to see who wins.” Rewarding Commenting on hosting the event at the Delphi Academy in Warwickshire, Luke Garratt, Delphi UK Technical Services Manager said: “This is the second year Delphi has hosted the Top Technician semi-final and the upcoming Top Tech and Top Garage final. I absolutely adore hosting, as they are my favourite events of the year. It’s so nice to see the place so alive and busy with technicians looking to prove themselves.” “It is extremely rare for a global parts manufacturer to have such a close relationship with the technicians fitting their products, so it is important that we are able to show we are helping them in the best way we can. Aftermarket has a fantastic reach out to its readers and is tremendously valued in the community, which is reflected in the number of applications to enter the competitions seen every year. Being crowned as Top Technician or Top Garage winner is extremely prestigious. We saw the looks of joy last year at the awards on the faces of those who won, and we saw the benefits to their career and businesses that followed, and it is extremely rewarding to be a part of it.” With the points all totted up, the five finalists will be: David Weston, Kia UK, Surrey George Bettley, Crewe SEAT, Cheshire Jack Richards, Millers Garage, Berkshire Simon Parkinson, Motolec, Lancashire Mark Sturgess, Keen and Betts, West Sussex Congratulations to all five, and well done to everyone else. The next and final step is the final on Saturday 14 October. Top Technician and Top Garage 2023 come to you in association with the Garage Equipment Association (GEA), the Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) and the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI). Full Event Partners: Snap-on, TOPDON, TechMan, Delphi Technologies, BookMyGarage, ALLDATA Europe, TPS and MOTUL. OCTOBER 2023 AFTERMARKET 23
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