industry
Andy Savva, The Garage Inspector, pictured with Autotech Group CEO, Gavin White
THE GARAGE INSPECTOR JOINS AUTOTECH ACADEMY Autotech Group has appointed ‘The Garage Inspector’ Andy Savva as a Non-Executive Director of its newly launched division – Autotech Academy, created to help boost automotive skills and promote fresh talent into the industry by providing qualified college leavers with a paid internship. With the industry facing a major skills shortage, particularly with the shift towards electrification, the need to create a pipeline of new talent has never been more prevalent. Now a consultant and trainer for the independent garage sector, Andy started his career as an automotive apprentice at 18 before owning his own garage, making him ideally placed to work with both interns and employers. “The opportunity to join the board at Autotech Academy is something I couldn’t refuse,” comments Andy. “For many years I have commented on the challenges of attracting and retaining youth in our automotive sector. Autotech Academy offers a unique and broad range of essential technical-skills training, complementing what colleges are already doing to enhance and prepare the next generation of technicians, and front-ofhouse personnel, for employment.
“It is an exciting time to be involved in the automotive sector and there is much to do. I cannot wait to share my business knowledge to give each and every intern the edge as they step into the real world of our competitive and ever-challenging automotive industry.” Through Autotech Academy, garages will pay a flat, hourly rate for a fully vetted, fully equipped intern. This cost covers insurance, tools, ongoing training and, after approximately six months, they can either decide to employ the intern free of charge on a full-time basis, or not – it’s effectively a ‘try before you buy’ solution. www.autotechacademy.co.uk
EURO CAR PARTS BEGINS EV TRIAL As part of its ongoing commitment to decarbonisation, LKQ Euro Car Parts has launched an electric vehicle trial on the Isle of Wight. An electric Vauxhall Vivaro and electric Renault Kangoo join the island’s fleet for six months, with two charge points installed to power them. Vehicles on the island typically cover approximately 70 miles per day, making it the ideal location from which to test and learn from new technology.
INDUSTRY
Vauxhall and Renault have sent digital training resources to the LKQ Euro Car Parts team on the Isle of Wight, for drivers to complete before starting the trial. The team will then monitor how the vehicles are performing throughout the six months, with a view to ultimately electrifying the remainder of the island’s fleet and increasing the number of charge points.
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Tony Shearer, Director of Branch Operations Excellence at LKQ Euro Car Parts, said: “Moving our commercial fleet of around 2,800 vehicles to EVs isn’t going to happen overnight, but battery technology and charging infrastructure are improving all the time. “Our plan is to make the transition as and when EVs can seamlessly move into job roles that previously belonged to petrol and diesel vehicles, so that our commitment to reducing emissions comes to life with no impact on the effectiveness of our operation – and
with no changes to the service levels our customers expect.” As battery powered vehicles become increasingly common on our roads – with hybrids already present in the independent aftermarket, and EVs to follow – LKQ Euro Car Parts is urging garages to invest in the skills and resources they need to service and repair them. To find out more about the specialist hybrid and EV training and equipment available from the supplier, visit omnipart.eurocarparts.com, or ask in your local branch.
