The CVIAQ Service Managers Council met on Wednesday 2nd February at the SkillsTech Heavy Vehicle Training Centre following an invitation from Skillstech for Service Managers of CVIAQ member companies to tour the new facility.

The meeting commenced at 9.00am with Council Chairman, Mr John Edwards, welcoming the attendees and thanking Mr Chris Kroehn for the use of the room at the SkillsTech facility.

Mr Kroehn then presented the council with an overview of the 2011 training program which included block training arrangements, teaching strategies, an overview of the various training packages available to students and employer engagement.

Following Mr Kroehn, Mr Paul Woodland updated the Council on the CVIAQ Apprentice Challenge to be held at the Brisbane Truck Show. Mr Woodland reported that he had secured the use of two identical trucks from Western Star but at this stage was unaware of the models available. Mr Woodland requested support from the Council and SkillsTech to provide volunteers to assist Mr John Samsom identify the faults to be put into the vehicles over the four days of the competition as well as assist whilst the competition is in progress.

Mr Woodland also reported that he had contacted the schools that had participated in the 2010 Schools to Industry tours and invited staff and interested students to attend the show and be part of the audience watching the Apprentice Challenge on the Thursday and Friday of the show. Mr Woodland added that he would be contacting the apprentices who participated in the Industry Ambassadors Program in 2010 to invite them to speak to the school students either at the Apprentice Challenge or in the Seminar room prior to the Challenge about careers in the Commercial Vehicle Industry.

CVIAQ Technical & Regulatory Officer, Mr John Samson, presented a technical update to Council members which included:

There being no further business, Mr John Edwards closed the meeting.

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 8th June 2011.

Council members were then taken on a guided tour of the SkillsTech Heavy Vehicle Training Centre.