The ContiAcademy, Continental Tyres’ industry-leading in-house training centre for tyre service and maintenance, celebrates its fifth anniversary this month.
IN BRIEF
- Continental’s in-house training centre, the ContiAcademy, celebrates fifth anniversary
- Facility promotes tyre safety with a suite of maintenance-focused training courses and qualifications
- ContiAcademy is a key element of Tyre IQ – Continental’s online hub for tyre knowledge, guidance, data and training
- “As we celebrate our fifth anniversary, we take pride in the impact we've made, and will continue to make, on the successes of technicians and drivers,” Gwyn Fennell, Technical Services and Training Manager at Continental Tyres
Since opening the doors to the Lutterworth-based ContiAcademy in 2019, Continental has championed education and training for operators and tyre technicians. The Academy offers bespoke courses to suit delegates' individual needs, as well as a broad portfolio of bookable sessions.
ContiAcademy's wheel security and driver training courses are amongst the most popular with delegates. These sessions aim to educate HGV drivers on enhancing tyre longevity and preventing damage. The facility also offers qualifications and assessments, such as the REACT roadside safety licence and the NTDA Licenced Commercial Tyre Technician programme, as well as a range of IMI qualifications. This includes the Tyre Forensics course, which trains delegates to inspect and determine the root cause of a tyre failure before completing a forensic report. Tyre Forensic sessions were recently undertaken at the ContiAcademy by Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency inspectors.
As part of its role as an industry educator, Continental's internal technical team has also delivered webinars on the relationship between e-mobility and tyres to more than 400 customers.
Recognised externally for its commitment to enhancing and supporting the commercial vehicle maintenance sector, police and industry bodies, the ContiAcademy was shortlisted in the Staff Training and Development Initiative of the Year category at the 2019 National Tyre Distributors Association (NTDA) tyre industry awards.
Reflecting on the success of the ContiAcademy, Gwyn Fennell, Technical Services and Training Manager at Continental Tyres, said:
“From the very beginning, the ContiAcademy has been dedicated to advancing tyre education in the industry. Our catalogue of bespoke courses and sector specific workshops are not only helping to develop tyre professionals, but have the vital support of key sector partners, such as the Institute of the Motor Industry and the National Tyre Distributors Association.
“As we celebrate our fifth anniversary, we take pride in the impact we've made, and will continue to make, on the successes of technicians and drivers. Most importantly, however, our training helps to make our roads a safer place to work and drive on.”
The Academy sits alongside Continental’s recently launched Tyre IQ platform, which acts as an online hub for tyre knowledge, advice, data and training. As part of this service, the manufacturer has developed a series of free, informative tyre awareness videos, many of which are relevant to any commercial vehicle tyre regardless of the brand. With nine videos already in its library, the resources aim to equip tyre technicians, drivers, and engineers with the knowledge required to maximise the safety and performance of their vehicles.
