Craig Bright (West City Holden) from New Zealand is the latest Kiwi to beat the Aussies at their own game, claiming victory at the recent Tech Guild Grand Final held at Holden Australia Headquarters in Melbourne.
The annual event saw thousands of technicians across the two countries enroll in the programme, with the finalists going head to head in a series of hands-on tasks and assessments for their chance to win the title of Grand Champion.
“This is a very prestigious Holden competition, with a series of exams as well as practical skill tests to determine who progresses to the grand final,” said Holden NZ MD, Marc Ebolo.
“Craig’s victory is quite remarkable considering the number of competitors involved, and it’s great to see New Zealand punching above our weight when it comes to claiming a title against the Aussies.
“It also speaks highly of the calibre of Holden technicians here in New Zealand, which in turn offers reassuring peace of mind for new Holden owners who are able to enjoy free three-year scheduled servicing with their new vehicle.”
The 2018 Technicians Guild grand final was decided on a cumulative final score across various disciplines. This year these comprised of three on-car activities, one off-car component, a knowledge test as well as a customer interview.
“Craig is a great example of everything we want in a technician, his commitment to the customer is second to none and he works on customer cars like he is working on his own pride and joy,” said John Blewett, dealer principal of West City Holden.
“His attention to detail is faultless so I’m not surprised he did so well in the finals. I am certainly proud to have him on the team as a technician here at West City Holden and am sure he has a very prosperous future ahead of him.”
For his efforts, Craig received a significant cash prize and a ZB Commodore Red Bull Holden Race Team Supercar trophy.
“The competition was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before, it was a real challenge to go up against technicians from throughout Australia and New Zealand,” said Craig Bright.
“The final itself was an arduous and tense experience, it was extremely close and I didn’t know if I had won until my name was read out. I was really proud to represent West City, Holden and New Zealand at the event and will certainly aim to defend my title if the opportunity presents itself.
