Accelerating in the industry: The impact of the Innovation in Automotive Training program

Servicing and repairing vehicles require learning a lot of information and procedures, to say the least. With emerging technologies popping up on what feels like a daily basis, it can be hard to keep up with what there is to learn. Vishwa Wijenayake, a student at Fanshawe College, was eager to learn as much as possible—which is why he signed up for the Innovation in Automotive Training program’s Career Exploration training at Fanshawe College in London, Ontario. 

What aspects of the Innovation in Automotive Training program initially captured your interest, and why did they resonate with you? 

I have a technician background from my home country, and I am currently enrolled in Fanshawe College’s Automotive Service Management and Automotive Sales program, so when I saw this program advertised, it was a no brainer. I am passionate about working on vehicles, and I want to know more in order to have a successful career in the industry. So, I thought it would be an excellent way to gain more information and hands-on skills for servicing and repairing vehicles—especially electric vehicles (EVs)! My career goal is to work on all sorts of vehicles, internal combustion engines (ICE), hybrid vehicles (HVs), and EVs, but with the rise of EVs, I think it is very important and valuable to know how to properly service and repair them. 

Can you describe your overall experience in the Career Exploration training and any specific moments that stood out to you? 

During the Career Exploration program, several experiences stood out to me, from working on an EV, to having excellent classmates. That being said, the instructor, Alex Cruden, was incredible. He was knowledgeable and helped guide us through everything. With this program, and with the help of Alex, I gained technical skills that I do not think I would be able to learn anywhere else, especially regarding EV repair and diagnostics. EVs are complicated, to say the least, and with our instructor, he made it cohesive, easy to learn, and worked with us through everything. He encouraged us to continue learning and working until we got our desired result. 

In what ways has the training directly impacted your career development, and can you share any notable examples? 

I am still studying in my program, so my career has yet to launch. However, this training has solidified the fact that I want to not just work in this industry but succeed as well. I hope that soon after I graduate, I become an automotive service manager or work in automotive sales. While I am not exactly sure where I will end up, I now have the skills to pursue a successful career in the industry. The knowledge I have gained about EVs, including repair diagnostic procedures, will be invaluable for my career development. 

From your perspective, what is the most significant value this training provides to professionals in the automotive industry? 

From my perspective, the most significant value of this training provides to automotive professionals is how it taught us what the ‘real world’ is like—it was not just theoretical learning, but very practical. We covered crucial topics like EV diagnostics and repair, why EVs have different ranges in the winter, and how to interact with customers in certain scenarios. I genuinely wish there was more time—there is so much to learn about this industry, and our instructor used every minute to teach us as much as he could. Overall, this program has been a significant steppingstone in my career development and has helped me prepare for jumping into the automotive service industry. 

About the Innovation in Automotive Training program  

The Automotive Industries Association of Canada (AIA Canada) has partnered with Conestoga College, Fanshawe College, St. Lawrence College, Mohawk College, and Plug N’ Drive to offer free trainings to address the shortage of those in the automotive trades in Ontario. This Employment Ontario program is funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario. 

The Innovation in Automotive Training program includes numerous types of training and up-skilling opportunities, such as Career Exploration, which includes firsthand learning and experience for those looking to join the automotive trades.