Driving the Future of Brake Training: Interview with Scott Irwin

Textar, the premium braking brand from global friction manufacturer TMD Friction, recently launched the Textar Virtual Academy. We catch up with Scott Irwin, Head of Technical Training for the organization, to understand the platform’s benefits, its role in addressing the global skills shortage, and how it’s helping to prepare technicians for the rapidly evolving world of vehicle technology.

Can you tell us a little about TMD Friction and your role at the company?

TMD Friction is the world’s number one friction expert. Leveraging more than 140 years of braking heritage, we develop high-quality braking solutions for the world’s biggest automotive brands, motorsport and industrial applications.

With a comprehensive portfolio of brake friction products, our brands Textar, Mintex, Don, Pagid, Cobreq and Bendix ensure we have a solution to meet every budget, application, and environment.

As Head of Technical Training at TMD Friction, my main responsibility is to ensure the skills development and knowledge upgrades for the technical training team based on current workshop challenges and the latest technology.

In addition to overseeing the continuing professional development of the technical team, customer satisfaction is also a big part of my role. We work closely with our distributors and their garages to deliver tailored training and technical support, resulting in increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.

By analysing training needs and identifying gaps in knowledge, we develop targeted training solutions that help automotive professionals to upskill and increase their expertise.

What is the Textar Virtual Brake Training Platform?

The Textar Virtual Academy is a new, dynamic e-learning platform designed to offer the most comprehensive brake training available in the independent aftermarket (IAM). It’s a much-needed resource for automotive professionals, providing essential industry updates and technical insights. By bringing our manufacturer-level expertise into the aftermarket, we are helping users stay up to date with the latest advancements in vehicle technology.

While our in-person training has always been highly valued by customers and workshops, we recognised the need for a scalable solution to reach a broader audience. That’s where the Textar Virtual Academy comes in, allowing us to bring technical training and support to professionals wherever they are.

We’ve designed the courses to cater to all skill levels, from experienced mechanics and technical managers to apprentices and students. The modules are structured as easy-to-digest, bite-sized videos that can be accessed on any device. Understanding how fast-paced and demanding workshop environments can be, we prioritised flexibility in the platform’s design so learners can pause and pick up the content at their convenience, fitting training around their schedules.

The Textar Virtual Academy covers every aspect of braking systems, from passenger cars to commercial vehicles and even electric vehicles, ensuring a comprehensive learning experience across the entire range of vehicle types.

What are the benefits of the Textar Virtual Brake Training Platform?

The Textar Virtual Academy benefits technicians at all levels as well as distributors. For technicians, the Textar Virtual Academy offers a comprehensive and interactive learning experience for all things braking related.

Our bespoke content is easy-to-digest and engaging, developed by our experts for the experts. It is currently available in five different languages and we will be continually updating the content to reflect the evolving demands of the industry. For distributors, its benefits are twofold. We are supporting their customers with industry-leading brake training that should lead to reduced product warranty claims due to poor fitment, but it can also provide an additional revenue stream for their business.

Participants can access manufacturer-level knowledge right at their fingertips. This means that users don’t just get generic information, they get insights and resources that are highly relevant and practical. Once they have completed their training, they have access to materials they can take away and apply in their work immediately.

We know there is a global skills shortage in the automotive industry, so this platform is now more important than ever. By offering high-level brake training, we are not only investing in the development of existing professionals, but also helping to train the next generation of technicians. It’s a long-term investment in the industry’s future, and we are proud to be part of that solution.

What are the challenges of training brake technicians in the digital age and how does the Textar Virtual Academy address them?

When it comes to training, time is undoubtedly one of the biggest challenges we face. Everyone is so focused on the day-to-day tasks that finding time for professional development can often feel impossible. This is one of the key reasons we developed the format of the Textar Virtual Academy, offering short, easy-to-digest content that learners can play, pause and pick up again as their schedules allow.

We recognise that not everyone is comfortable with digital tools, and the idea of using an e-learning platform can be intimidating for some. That’s why we made user experience a central part of the development process, aiming to create an intuitive platform that makes the transition to digital learning as seamless and accessible as possible.

That said, mindsets are changing. More and more people are embracing the digital age, and nearly all of us now have a smartphone. The automotive industry has evolved alongside this, with today’s workshops becoming well-versed in technology with diagnostic tools and online booking systems.

Accessing online training through platforms like the Textar Virtual Academy offers a significant advantage as it saves both time and money compared to traditional in-person courses, allowing technicians to upskill without the need to leave the workshop.

What are the future trends in brake technician training?

Vehicle technology is advancing at a fast pace, but it is important that the education and training on this technology is available to the workshops that will be carrying out any maintenance and repairs in the future. There are differences between internal combustion engine, hybrid, and fully electric vehicles, so technicians need to know best practice procedures for them all. Our module on regenerative braking and EV maintenance is something we are proud to offer the aftermarket as we know first-hand workshops want to upskill in this area.

How is TMD Friction working to prepare for these trends?

Our technical team is fully trained in EV and hybrid maintenance, ensuring we are equipped to support customers in these areas whenever required. We work closely with technicians in workshops, helping them overcome technical challenges. This hands-on involvement allows us to gain first-hand insight into the issues they face and the areas where additional training is needed. From this, we are able to develop new training modules that align with market shifts and emerging training requirements.

As an original equipment (OE) manufacturer, we also have a unique perspective on the latest technologies coming to market. This enables us to proactively prepare our aftermarket technical teams and training programmes to stay ahead of these advancements and ensure we are ready to meet evolving industry demands as they arise.

What are your plans for the future of the Textar Virtual Brake Training Platform?

The future of the Textar Virtual Academy is to keep adding to the current training modules in line with customers’ requirements and market trends. As it is very technical based training, we are looking at how we can also add in soft skills, such as how to sell our products to customers and how they can explain the importance of choosing a quality braking product.

The Textar Virtual Academy is currently available in five languages and can be accessed from the U.S., Mexico, and parts of Europe, including the UK, Ireland, Germany, Poland, and Romania. As Textar is a global braking brand, we also have plans to bring the Textar Virtual Academy to even more regions in their language as the platform evolves.

How can brake technicians access the Textar Virtual Brake Training Platform?

The Textar Virtual Academy can be accessed via the Textar Training page or by contacting your local Textar distributor in the UK, Germany, Poland, USA, Romania and Mexico.

Alternatively, you can also contact [email protected] for more information.