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GM COACHWORKS
GM Coachworks is a specialist company which converts vehicles to adapt to the mobility needs of wheelchair users. They are also one of the country's biggest producers of minibus conversions supplying vehicles up and down the country, and an accredited converter for all the leading commercial vehicle manufacturers including IVECO, Peugeot, Renault, Vauxhall and Volkswagen.
With the amount of investment being ploughed into EVs by manufacturers increasing, GM Coachworks has pioneered the way in EV conversions over the last few years. While electric vehicle training remains unregulated, the company were keen to ensure that their employees held the necessary skills and knowledge to safely convert EVs.
Part of the process of converting a vehicle is to cut the entire floor out and fit a bespoke replacement. On electric vehicles this requires the complete removal of the battery pack and modification of the brackets when refitting. Consequently, there are obvious dangers when removing the battery but also employees need to ensure the rest of the vehicle is safe in case any wiring is accidently damage while the floor is being cut.
GM Coachworks were keen to train members of its workforce in electric vehicle skills, including those who develop the conversion kits and those who work within the workshop converting the vehicles.
THE AUTOTECH TRAINING DIFFERENCE
Hearing about Autotech Training, GM Coachwork’s Engineering Manager, John Hunt, arranged for the electric vehicle training courses to be delivered at the company’s site at Newton Abbot, Devon.
Rob Walsh, an Automotive Technical Field Trainer for Autotech Training, travelled to Devon and delivered IMI accredited Levels 2, 3 and 4 Electric/Hybrid vehicle training courses to employees.
While able to deliver courses from its headquarters in Milton Keynes, Autotech Training regularly travels around the country rolling out its course offering on the premises of any garage or business. Not only does this eliminate business downtime and travel costs, but it also makes the training more personal, helping delegates better retain information.
In total, six employees were trained. Two from GM Coachwork’s R&D Department, a designer of the bespoke conversion kits and wiring, and a fabricator who develops the prototype kits. Four employees from the main workshops, where the kits are used to convert the vehicles, were also trained.
Over four days, Rob delivered the EV courses to GM Coachwork employees, following the syllabus set by the IMI. Renowned for customising its course offering to meet the specific needs of customers, Autotech Training frequently demonstrates to delegates how the learning applies to the vehicles they work on. In the case of GM Coachworks, Rob spent two additional hours, once the final course had been delivered, showing the delegates how to safely power down and remove the battery of the vehicle they convert.
