With the opening of a new training academy, SMWA President Mike Keh is bullish about 2021
The Singapore Motor Workshop Association (SMWA) announced the opening of one of its biggest projects in recent history – the SMWA Training Academy – late last year. Along with a promise to raise the quality of workshop technicians in Singapore, the academy will also prep learners with future-relevant courses including electric vehicle (EV) maintenance. SMWA President Mike Keh shares more with us.
TGS (Top Gear Singapore): Thanks for your time and congratulations on the opening of the SMWA Training Academy, Mike! Could you tell us a little bit more on how the academy will operate?
MK (Mike Keh): We will gather information from workshops in the country and find out what skills their technicians lack. From that, we’ll organise some courses for them based on those “shortcomings”. The main idea here is to “upgrade” all the technicians.
TGS: We think everyone will certainly welcome more skilled technicians! Now, SMWA’s signing of an MOU with AA Singapore will push the workshop quality in Singapore to a new standard, how do you plan to uphold this new Singapore Standard?
MK: The standards are fairly straightforward. They include upkeep of workshops, training of technicians, safety procedures and of course, clear-cut and transparent business practices.
TGS: An automotive aftermarket portal/marketplace is also in the works, could we get a better idea of how that will flow?
MK: The portal is more for workshop owners. It is overseen by former SMWA President Joey Teh and was made to be a business-to-business platform. If any workshop is lacking parts, they can make a request within the portal and vice versa.
TGS: You’re nearing the end of your inaugural term as SMWA President, what happens between now and then?
MK: SMWA has already achieved its target of opening the training academy, the next target is to start courses as soon as possible. We were supposed to start courses in 2020 but we were delayed by Covid-19. I hope also to allay the fear of consumers in the country through the academy.
