Bodyshop Magazine will be front and centre at the UK Garage and Bodyshop Event, which kicks off tomorrow and runs through Thursday (5-6 June) in Hall 6 of the NEC in Birmingham, where it will host two must-attend events at UKGBE.
In addition to hosting the Bodyshop Magazine Lounge on stand G18 – which throughout the two-day trade show will be the central meeting point for anyone working in the body repair sector and supply chain – the industry’s favourite trade publication will also host an important panel session in the Bodyshop Training Hub (H18) as well as staging the end-of-day-one networking party for repairers.
Must-attend events at UKGBE
Bodyshop Magazine editor Simon Wait said:
“There’s loads of training, demos, product launches, giveaways and competitions going on at the show that will be of great interest to repairers, but there are two must-attend events at UKGBE that you won’t want to miss. Firstly, at 2:45pm tomorrow [Wednesday, 5 June] in the Bodyshop Training Hub, we will be hosting three Gen Z repairers who will offer great insights into how our industry can connect with younger recruits.
“Then straight after that at 4:00pm our two-hour BODYSHOP BUZZ networking drinks party, powered by Core Diagnostics and in association with the Refinishing Crew, gets under way in both the Bodyshop Magazine Lounge and the next-door Bodyshop Training Hub. It’s free to attend, but we’re nearly at capacity so if you haven’t registered already you will need to get that done via our website today.”
Bodyshop panel session
The Bodyshop Magazine-hosted panel session on Wednesday afternoon will feature Rosie Smith, 21, apprentice paint technician at Steer Basingstoke; Lucy Dent, 25, owner of Dents HQ in Sheffield; and Luke White, 27, assistant bodyshop manager at EV Bodyshops in Enfield.
With government figures suggesting that within the next five-to-six years 30% of all UK employees will be Gen Z, the body repair sector must learn how to connect with this younger age group right now.
“I would advise anyone interested in the future of the bodyshop sector to get along to the session and listen to what these young panellists have to say about bridging the skills gap, the aftermarket labour shortages, and how to connect with their peers,” Wait continued. “And when that finishes, stick around for the hottest networking event of the summer – BODYSHOP BUZZ.”
Click here to register for the BODYSHOP BUZZ networking party, which is completely free for all repairers and those working in the collision repair supply chain. Visitors to the trade show can register for a free UKGBE ticket here.
