Bay resident takes second place at Jaguar International competition
A PORT Elizabeth man made it to the podium at the Jaguar Land Rover Global Technician of the Year contest, held in the UK last week.
Bay resident Thomas Grant took second place overall while representing Land Rover South Africa.
He was one of 36 top technicians, from 18 markets, who participated in the contest.
Over a long, gruelling day the best Jaguar Land Rover technicians in the world had to prove their mettle through practical fault finding on test vehicles, completing theoretical tests, and demonstrating their mechanical and electrical knowledge.
Thomas made his way to the global round by winning the South African Technician of the Year contest earlier this year.
Already recognised by his local peers for his skills and talent, he can now hold his head high and enjoy the international recognition that comes with being one of the top global technicians for the British brand.
To sweeten the deal, Thomas also takes home prize money of £4 000 (R69 660)– in addition to the R270 000 he won in the local contest.
“I was already excited just to be representing my country, Port Elizabeth and dealership on an international stage. I’m ecstatic that I was able to rank this highly,” said Thomas.
“It was amazing to see how my local training and knowledge helped me perform internationally. We get excellent training at the Jaguar Land Rover Training Academy in Pretoria!”
In addition to celebrating individual success, Jaguar Land Rover South Africa earned a third-place spot for overall performance.
Grant was joined by last year’s South African Technician of the Year winner, Jaco Scheepers, who represented Jaguar South Africa.
The South African team’s collective score earned the market a third-place global ranking for technical excellence.
“Thomas’s hard-earned secondplace and prize money are exactly the kind of opportunities we want to afford all of our technicians,” said Richard Gouverneur, managing director of Jaguar Land Rover South Africa and sub-Sahara Africa.
“I’m also thrilled that the South African team proved that we have world-class knowledge and skills in our ranks. This is a platform we will continue building on to ensure we continue giving our customers world-class service,” he said.