Top Technician’s double win

9 July 2013  

Barely a fortnight after winning the coveted UK ‘Top Technician 2013’ trophy and associated £18,000 prize fund, Steve Smith has added the UK ‘Toyota Champion Technician’ award to his glittering CV. It is the second time that 46 year old Steve, a senior technician at Hills Toyota of Woodford Green, Essex, has won the award, having previously carried off the trophy in 2011.

The format of the competition – held at the Nottingham Academy – is not dissimilar to the ‘Top Technician’ tests, with competitors from Toyota dealers around the UK facing challenging practical and theoretical diagnostic tasks on a range of conventional and hybrid vehicles.  

“It was a big event with a number of awards,” said a delighted Steve. ”As well as the title and a Samsung Galaxy tablet, I get a trip to Japan which is just unbelievable. I’ll be going to the ‘Assembly of Champions’ with other winners from around the world, where everyone has their moment on stage with the top management: and there’s five days in and around Japan to experience the people and the culture.”

Having tested himself in ‘Top Technician’ on previous occasions before his winning effort this year, Steve is a staunch advocate of the competition, believing that technicians have everything to gain and nothing to lose by entering. “My advice is just enter – you should just do it, and I’d really like to see more franchised dealer guys enter next year because it’s an open and even opportunity for every technician in the industry, whatever kind of establishment they work for – independent, franchised, fast fit or even mobile operator. I’d encourage any technician who wants to know and show how good they are to get their entry in online when the 2014 competition opens in September,” said Steve.