The automotive industry is undergoing unprecedented change as the electric and digital landscape unfolds alongside evolving consumer preferences for more efficient and convenient vehicles. Demand for electric vehicles is growing faster than ever before, with experts predicting that sales in the United States could reach up to 40-50% of total passenger car sales by 2030.
The rising demand for EVs means that the automotive industry will need to completely rethink the customer experience, including the showroom floor, the in-car experience, and the service bay.
A New Work Model
The entire auto industry is talking about transformation, but the question is: What are automotive companies doing to implement tangible change and meet consumer expectations?
Audi began preparing for this changing landscape in 2019 with the creation of the Audi Education Partnership, a training program that enables technicians to get paid while learning on the job, condensing training that typically takes three to five years into a customized 18-month program. The initiative is part of Audi’s investment and commitment to creating a pipeline of next-generation trained Audi service technicians who are able to work on both combustion engine and electric vehicles.
Meet the Woman Who’s Shaping Audi’s Service Bay
Spearheading the Audi Education Partnership is Ana Wolyniec de Freitas, an automotive industry veteran and manager of technical training development and delivery at Audi of America. Wolyniec de Freitas started her career in 1998 in Brazil and has been with Volkswagen Group of America for 25 years in a range of product quality roles. In her current position, she supports education for technicians, having a direct impact on customer satisfaction.
“One aspect of Audi Education Partnership that makes it different from other programs is the ability to take the lessons learned in class back to the dealership to put into practical use right away, reinforcing newly acquired knowledge all while gaining a paycheck,” Wolyniec de Freitas says.
A New Generation of Techs
Wolyniec de Freitas is preparing for the future now, bringing new talent to the field, accelerating training programs, and ensuring that the latest technology is being taught to the next generation of technicians.
“The ‘next generation of techs’ is eager to learn about new technology,” Wolyniec de Freitas says, “and these Audi Education Partnership students are already proving to be a valuable resource.”
The Audi Education Partnership teaches the skills needed to work on EVs alongside the essential foundational knowledge of combustion engine vehicle technology. Through a combination of online courses, classroom instruction, and on-the-job experience, program participants become skilled technicians in both combustion and electric vehicles.
“Audi’s dealers have been outspoken about their positive experiences working with Audi Education Partnership students and are calling for more students to work for them,” Wolyniec de Freitas says. “And Audi customers benefit, because technicians are up to date with the newest technology and are better prepared to service and diagnose their vehicles.”
What This Means for the Future of Automotive
As the automotive industry continues to evolve and consumer demand for EVs grows, cultivating a workforce equipped to navigate the intricacies of both internal combustion and electric vehicles will be essential. For Audi this is especially critical since, in two short years, the brand plans to launch only new battery electric vehicles on the global market, and by 2033, to no longer produce combustion engine vehicles.
Nurturing new talent will be key as factors like electrification, other new technologies, and a transitioning workforce impact the number of properly trained technicians. To ensure the industry can meet the demands of its consumers, training programs must adapt to attract and retain the next wave of auto technicians. Others can look to Audi as the prototype for how to navigate the evolving demands of the automotive landscape, with its Education Partnership serving as a model for strengthening technician readiness and delivering progress in the showroom as well as the service bay.
