Sime Darby Motors, Retail & Distribution, Malaysia recently launched its Training Academy, which aims to empower its entire workforce with the latest skills and knowledge in the fast-evolving automotive industry.
Located at the Sime Darby Motors City automotive complex, the Academy will be integral to Sime Darby Motors’ ongoing pursuit of excellence to be at the forefront of the Malaysian automotive industry.
In addition to nine classrooms capable of accommodating up to 163 trainees, the Academy will also leverage the world-class facilities and equipment available throughout Sime Darby Motors City as training resources.
Training is provided through two main pillars of certification programmes. The first involves technical and non-technical training to meet Principal Certification requirements. These are conducted by 11 in-house trainers who have undergone the same certification by the world-leading brands that Sime Darby Motors represents.
The second pillar is the Sime Darby Motors training programme, which focuses on talent development to enhance organisational skills and knowledge. These include soft skills such as personal and professional development, skills enhancement, customer service, sales closing techniques and more. Training will be conducted by professional in-house trainers, as well as a network of certified training providers.
“As a key player in the automotive industry, Sime Darby Motors is committed to pursuing excellence as we strive to provide world-class services to our customers. The new Retail & Distribution Academy will be instrumental for innovation, upskilling and continuous learning, allowing us to deliver unparalleled customer experiences while contributing to the country’s automotive industry,” said Jeffrey Gan, Managing Director, Retail & Distribution, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Macau.
“It will also enable us to focus on emerging technologies and trends and be future-ready for the next generation of vehicles, particularly in the EV segment. This will allow us, as an organisation, as well as the brands we represent to stay ahead of the competition and adapt to changing market demands effectively,” he added.
To ensure a highly-skilled workforce for EV retail and aftersales services, the Academy is equipped with training vehicles, training props, computer labs and other EV-related equipment to take employees to the next level of skills development.
The Academy will also allow Sime Darby Motors, Retail & Distribution, Malaysia to consolidate and optimise resources across the whole organisation for more efficient, effective and frequent employee training. Cultivating a highly-trained workforce will help address the skills gap, especially as Malaysia transitions towards electric vehicles, in addition to contributing to the country’s local talent development and economic growth.
“Our goal is to scale the Academy into a regional training hub for our Retail & Distribution operations across Southeast Asia to ignite a collective passion for learning, fostering growth that resonates across boundaries and transforms lives,” said Gan.
