Technical 22 www.aftermarketonline.net FEBRUARY 2025 Top Technician, Top Garage, Top Apprentice Get revved up to join us in the fast lane… Industry leaders set the pace for the race to excellence as they sign up to support Aftermarket’s search for the UK’s garage champions of 2025 Leading lights in the automotive sector are already lining up behind the latest search to find our industry champions with this year’s launch of Top Technician, Top Garage — and the inaugural Top Apprentice. LKQ Euro Car Parts will again be backing the competitions as Full Event Partner and Delphi is also returning, marking its fourth consecutive year of collaboration. Meanwhile JLM UK has confirmed its support as a sponsor for the competitions — and we are also delighted to announce that Colin Denton, star of TV’s Classic Car Garage and chief executive of the North London Garages Group Training Association, is to be the head judge for Top Apprentice. Denton will also be guest speaker for the contest. He said he was delighted to be offered the opportunity to participate in Top Apprentice, which will reward technical excellence and support the growth of the next generation of Top Technicians in the independent garage sector. “As a former motor vehicle apprentice, I can appreciate the hard work and dedication each apprentice must show if they want to become a qualified motor vehicle technician,” he said. “The rewards can also be high. Government research shows an apprentice will earn £100,000 more in their working life than the average worker. “These figures are staggering, and the apprentice incurs no debt because the majority of apprenticeships are fully government funded. “This initiative is the first of its kind and I’m thrilled to be involved!” LKQ chief executive Kevan Wooden has also welcomed an expansion of the competitions this year to find the UK’s Top Apprentice. “We’re proud to support the Top Technician and Top Garage competition, which shines a light on the people and businesses who are driving the industry forward,” Wooden said. “Championing emerging talent through the new Top Apprentice initiative is also a great way to attract and retain young people in the industry, while developing its future leaders.” The Delphi Academy in Warwick will once again serve as the host for Finals Day on November 15, ensuring that competitors benefit from a space equipped with cutting-edge tools and resources, designed to meet the high technical demands of the competition. Commenting on the ongoing partnership, Luke Garratt, technical services manager at Delphi, said: “As a Global Parts Manufacturer, supporting and engaging the end user of products in a meaningful way can be tricky, especially as a technician’s time in the workshop is extremely valuable. For Delphi, sponsoring and hosting the competitions is about much more than just putting our name to an event for publicity and exposure. “We want to actively engage with technicians, continually showing that we support their ongoing skills development and dedication to the industry. By providing the perfect environment for the competition to take place and our technical resource to assist with the technical faults and judging process, we look to become a part of the technician’s thought process. “Delphi proudly supports the Aftermarket Top Tech & Garage competition due to its high standards and the fiercely competitive yet supportive nature of the event.” Managing director of JLM UK, Mike Schlup, said: “We were delighted to sponsor the 2024 awards and it was an honour to be involved with so many top technicians and garages. “It was a no brainer for us to extend our support for 2025 and we wish all the participants the best of luck this year.” Entries are already open for all three contests. To find out more, see the facing page. I appreciate the hard work and dedication apprentices must show
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