Volkswagen Group Canada Inc. is ready to start coaching Volkswagen and Audi physique restore technicians for the primary time on Canadian soil, as gear arrives and renovations wrap up at a brand new Milton, Ont. automotive coaching centre.

VW Canada introduced a partnership to create the Canadian Collision Restore Academy simply west of Toronto with welding group CWB Group Oct. 13.

The power would be the first of its type for any automaker in Canada and can convey coaching nearer to residence for technicians, mentioned Scott Wideman, collision program supervisor with VW Canada.

“We may probably be delivering our first beta courses in November,” he instructed Automotive Information Canada.

The power will host physique restore coaching for technicians from Volkswagen and Audi dealerships throughout Canada, in addition to techs from unbiased collision repairers enrolled within the certification program. Beforehand, Wideman mentioned, any such coaching was carried out at a pair of Volkswagen services on the east and west coasts of the USA.

COVID-19 closures prompted a re-think of the cross-border coaching routine, nevertheless, and VW Canada has been engaged on the collaboration with CWB Group since January 2021.

The partnership consists of renovations to an roughly 6,000 square-foot (600 square-metre) CWB website in Milton that may improve electrical methods and lighting. That work, Wideman mentioned, is nearing completion, with most main gear required for physique repairs having arrived on-site.

“The investments to create this mission could be greater than $1 million. Nonetheless, by way of trade help by gear suppliers this has enabled the mission to get off the bottom.”

The power will provide courses in each French and English, taking technicians by way of factory-standard restore procedures they’ll then apply at their dealerships or collision centres.

“Our physique restore surroundings is duplicating what they might be doing in a real-world surroundings,” Wideman mentioned, noting the curriculum is about 70 per cent hands-on.

“They should analysis the model-specific restore process, they should collect their instruments which might be spelled out and are required, in addition to the consumable —adhesives rivets, and so on. — and they’ll comply with that restore process during.”

Together with pre-empting any future border disruptions like those who prevented Canadian technicians from coaching in the USA throughout elements of the pandemic, Wideman mentioned the Milton coaching website will simplify journey preparations for Volkswagen and Audi technicians in Canada, in addition to decrease journey prices.

Not less than 200 technicians from each manufacturers are more likely to practice on the new academy in 2023, Wideman mentioned.