Sytner recognises best of the best
Sytner gathered 36 of the best car technicians in the country at the annual Elite Technician Challenge final that shone a light on the increasing importance of rewarding automotive talent.
The competition – regulated and judged by the Institute of the Motor Industry saw the 36 finalists, who had been whittled down from 500 entrants (the highest ever participation rate), pitted against each other with 90 minutes to identify pre-rigged faults in a series of high-performance cars.
Following diagnoses, competitors had to record and submit a video describing all faults and the required solutions.
The event was carried out under the supervision of technical inspectors from the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) and enjoyed primary sponsorship from Shell Helix Motor Oils, with Pirelli and CitNOW also providing support.
IMI CEO, Steve Nash said, ‘The talent on display at this competition has again been an absolute pleasure to witness. The dedication to expertise from these technicians is a fantastic example of how initiatives such as the Elite Technician Challenge that place emphasis on valuing staff can have such a positive effect on employees. I am immensely proud that the IMI was involved in this.’
With a once in a lifetime prize of an all-expenses paid VIP trip to the Detroit Grand Prix at stake, the excitement in the room was palpable as finalists awaited the IMI judges to review and validate the scores before the overall winner from each of the competing brands was announced.
Melvin Rogers, director of human resources at Sytner Group said, ‘Our skilled technicians are a key factor in our future success and initiatives like this not only recognise our top performers but also really set us apart from our competitors.’
Britt Burnett, general manager marketing and technical Europe, Shell commented, ‘We are proud to once again be working with Sytner on their Elite Technician Challenge as we believe it exemplifies the commitment to talent acquisition and retention in the industry that we are so passionate about. In an ever-changing world of mobility, this kind of attention to – and rewarding of – best-practice will be key to unlocking progress in the industry.’
