News 9 www.aftermarketonline.net MAY 2026 For peace of mind always use a Garage Equipment Association member. GEA accredited engineers work to an industry code of conduct. Your assurance their skills and knowledge have been independently assessed. IS YOUR EQUIPMENT ENGINEER GEA ACCREDITED? Ask your engineer for his accreditation card ! The Upholders of Industry standards since 1945 The Garage Equipment Association www.gea.co.uk GEA ACCREDITED ENGINEER Name Company Discipline Exp Date ID Number XX123456 XX123456 XX123456 XX123456 XX123456 Top Awards news Back yourself and enter the Top Awards There’s still time to submit entries for the five categories that make up the Top Awards: Top Technician, Top Garage, Top Apprentice, Top Service Advisor, and the Ben Workplace & Wellbeing Award. But be quick, as the 15 May deadline is fast approaching. The 2026 edition once again benefits from the support of its headline sponsors. Snapon, Varta, Delphi, JLM Liquid Tools, and GarageHive all return following last year’s programme, underlining their continued commitment to the sector. They are joined by Topdon UK, which comes on board as a headline sponsor for the first time. Importantly, the value of taking part in the Top Awards extends well beyond the winners’ podium. Hundreds of entrants every year use the process as a benchmark for improvement, building confidence and supporting career progression. For those who reach the finals, the recognition, connections and opportunities that follow can prove transformative. If doing the job properly matters to you, and recognition for that effort is important, the Top Awards are for you. And don‘t put off entering because you mistakenly think you’re not good enough, because the only way you’ll find out is if you try. And once you have a go, as even if you don’t win, the structured, multi-stage format provides a valuable audit of both technical ability and business performance, offering you a clear view of where you stand and how you can improve. Troy Smith, 2025 Top Apprentice finalist, admitted he originally didn’t expect to go far but urged peers to take the leap: “It’s been a good challenge. You’ve got people around you who are really experienced, and all the judges are not there to scare you at all. They’re there to help you through it... it’s definitely worth doing, 100%.” Semi-finalists in the Top Garage and Top Apprentice categories will complete online assessments between 19 June and 4 August, while the UK’s top ten technicians will gather at Delphi Academy in Warwick on 3 October for an in-person assessment featuring ten 20-minute live fault-finding tasks. The competition culminates on Saturday 14 November at Delphi Academy, where finalists will take on their ultimate practical and business challenges in a bid for the title. To enter, or to encourage an outstanding technician or apprentice, visit: aftermarketonline.net/ competition/
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ0NzM=