Volvo’s annual global competition for technicians and mechanics, VISTA will this week see eight teams from Australia and NZ head to the truck makers HQ in Gothenberg to battle it out against 48 other teams from around the Volvo world in the semi finals of the comp.
This year’s VISTA competition will be one of the largest ever,with 5712 technicians in 56 teams competing from 25–27 April for a place in the finals of what is the 60thanniversary of the competition.
“VISTA is the world’s largest Service Market Competition. It is really the Olympics for truck and bus echnicians. For everyone who takes part, there are opportunities to learn with your colleagues, be a part of a winning team who knows how to work and play together!” says Heléne Mellquist, Senior Vice President of Volvo Trucks International.
Volvo says that this year more than 184 teams from Australia and 31 teams from New Zealand signed up for VISTA. The teams competed in two theory rounds and a pit-stop challenge for the chance to make it to the semi- final in Gothenburg.
Teams from Adelaide, Perth, Townsville, Sydney, Invercargill and Whangarei all qualified for the semi-finals,while Team One from CMV Derrimut won a Wild Card entry to the semis.
Volvo says that this VISTA has broken the record for the number of participants in the competition with 19,706 participants in 5,222 teams entering the comp globally.
“VISTA is very unique. As a training platform it provides an opportunity for our hardworking and dedicated staff in our dealerships to expand their knowledge and skills, whilst highlighting the importance of working as a team. On top of that, it offers the opportunity of a lifetime–the chance to visit Gothenburg, the home of Volvo Trucks and also potentially to go to Brazil for the World Final,” said Neil Heinemann, National learning and competence manager.
“I think the importance Volvo places on the VISTA competition is reflective of the company’s attitude towards training and development of our staff. We really see the training and development of our staff as an investment–in to the satisfaction of both our staff and ultimately, our customers.”
40 teams will qualify from the semis this week for the World Final in Brazil, to be held in June
