Warminster, PA - Over the last few years, it seems that regional training events have been on the rise. I had heard of the "Super Saturday" event, hosted by ASA Pennsylvania, but had never had the opportunity to attend - until now.
On Saturday, October 12th, technicians and shop owners from 20 states, Puerto Rico, and Canada arrived at The Automotive Training Center in Warminster, Pennsylvania to experience a full day of technical and management training opportunities, hosted by some of the best trainers in the nation. There was also a group of techs who traveled all the way from the UK to attend - many of whom you may know from the YouTube channels some host, including the front man of the group, Steve Scott of "Simply Diagnostics".
The event has grown quickly since its inception, doubling attendance this year with an estimated 300+ taking advantage of the classroom and hands-on learning opportunities. A large reason for the growth of attendance must be attributed to the networking of groups like the Simply Diagnostics Network in the UK and the Trained By Techs gang here in the U.S. Both are advocates of training and make a point of sharing opportunities like Super Saturday with their friends and YouTube followers. And it doesn't hurt to have an ambassador like Jim Morton, a semi-retired teacher and diagnostic guru, banging the social media doors to get the word out.
Even so, it was a shame that more local shops and technicians weren't in attendance. For us that are familiar with names like John Thornton and Jorge Menchu (just to name a few), having the opportunity to learn from these talented and experienced instructors seems to be a no-brainer. Hopefully, those that did attend will be talking about the experience long and loud so that event organizers can have the enviable problem of how to accomodate an even bigger crowd in 2020.
I plan on being there again - how about you?
About the Author
Pete Meier
Creative Director, Technical | Vehicle Repair Group
Pete Meier is the former creative director, technical, for the Vehicle Repair Group with Endeavor Business Media. He is an ASE certified Master Technician with over 35 years of practical experience as a technician and educator, covering a wide variety of makes and models. He began writing for Motor Age as a contributor in 2006 and joined the magazine full-time as technical editor in 2010. Pete grew the Motor Age YouTube channel to more than 100,000 subscribers by delivering essential training videos for technicians at all levels.
Connect with Pete on LinkedIn.