One of the world’s biggest aftermarket shows has kicked off in the US and the theme of upskilling is high on the agenda.
The SEMA show held in Las Vegas from November 5-8, is annually a hub of ideas for the global collision repair industry and has already announced that many of its educational sessions will be streamed online.
As part of the focus at the show, 3M and Axalta have also announced a collaboration to introduce a new training content series focused on automotive refinishing as part of their online training academy.
The series will feature five training modules, each intended to help technicians and shops improve their understanding of repair process practices and drive greater operational outcomes.
The videos will be brand-agnostic and accessible produced by 3M and Axalta to set a new benchmark for how operational knowledge can be shared across the industry.
The first three training modules from the series; optimising process productivity, efficiency and quality in refinishing, are scheduled for release on December 2, 2024, and can be accessed through the 3M™ Collision Repair Academy and Axalta Academy platforms.
Additional training modules focused on safety and sustainability will become available in 2025.
In a statement 3M and Axalta says the push is aimed at meeting the critical shortage of skilled labour and the need to collaborate for the continued support of refinish process training and the skills development of collision repair technicians.
3M Automotive Aftermarket Division Dave Gunderson, president says the training content is intended to teach industry-best practices in a clear and easy to implement manner.
“At 3M, we believe training is an invaluable tool that should be considered a reinvestment into the health of a business,” Gunderson says.
“Our commitment is to be an industry resource for training solutions that continue to empower shop productivity, efficiency and quality. This new training content series with Axalta is a testament to that commitment.
Axalta Global Refinish president Troy Weaver says it was great to work with long-time collaborator 3M.
“This effort sets a new benchmark for how operational knowledge is shared across the industry, ensuring that everyone benefits from the latest best practices to improve operational efficiency and safety,” Weaver says.
Our commitment to supporting workforce development is strengthened through strategic partnerships and shared access to training resources. Together, we’re not just building a better future for our company, but for the entire industry.”
More information here