Schaeffler attracts technicians to award-winning workshop for double clutch and thermal management training

HEREFORD / AGILITYPR.NEWS / April 03, 2020 / Schaeffler attracts technicians to award-winning workshop for double clutch and thermal management training

• Avia Sports Cars invites Schaeffler to train fellow technicians at its Bridgend premises
• Schaeffler Technical Manager and REPXPERT, Alistair Mason, provides overview of double clutch and thermal management systems
• Hayley Pells, owner of Avia Sports Cars, named guest speaker for forthcoming REPXPERT Academy LIVE in Blackpool

More than a dozen technicians recently gathered at Avia Sports Cars, as Technical Manager and REPXPERT, Alistair Mason, delivered a training seminar on Schaeffler’s dry double clutch and thermal management systems, including the latest ‘intelligent’ water pumps.

Held at the Automechanika Garage of the Year in Bridgend, Hayley Pells welcomed a network of technicians, all committing a day away from the workshop to learn more about innovative Schaeffler technology, diagnosis and best practice, so they can add new servicing opportunities to their own workshop menu to help futureproof their business.

Hayley praised the individuals that had closed their business for the day: “With high turnover and low profit particularly prevalent at the moment, it is difficult for workshop owners to commit themselves and their staff to training, so it’s fantastic that a lot of them have grouped together to attend.

“There is a real need for these kind of events and they should be normalised in our industry. I also think it’s great to have these type of sessions within a workshop environment, as gaining access to further education facilities is not always possible; for example, I recently had to travel to Chester – as there isn’t always somewhere on my doorstep! – plus I have to fit in my clients’ need as well.

“I was speaking to one workshop owner, who, following his double clutch training, said he would now feel confident in taking work on as opposed to turning it away.”

REPXPERT Academy LIVE

Hayley recently attended Basingstoke College of Technology for the second REPXPERT Academy LIVE. The quality of the training offered by the REPXPERTs impressed her on the day, so she was keen to invite them back for an intimate training session at her own workshop.

Once again, Hayley was delighted with Alistair’s delivery: “Working with Schaeffler and the REPXPERT team is particularly helpful to us because they really are the experts in our industry. They possess a blend of product knowledge and hands-on experience of what it’s like to fit products.

“I believe there can be a disconnect between people with product and training knowledge, because fitting something on a bench is very different to fitting something in situ, so when working alongside someone like Alistair, there’s always more empathy and understanding of the challenges we face.”

The relationship between Avia Sports Cars and Schaeffler is evolving even further, with the news that Hayley will be a guest speaker at the forthcoming REPXPERT Academy LIVE event at Blackpool and The Fylde College on June 20th.

Hayley will give a presentation about operating an electric vehicle (EV) and hybrid workshop, along with EV best practice and safety. She explained what inspired her to take up the invitiation from Schaeffler: “Regardless of how they are powered, vehicles will still steer, stop and stick to the road, and components will be even more critical to the efficiency of the vehicle.

“They will also become more integrated into other systems, such as thermal management, which will, in turn, become more sophisticated. The future of our industry will include collaboration and integration, so I am delighted to explore this concept further with REPXPERT and the Academy LIVE program.”