Four ŠKODA employees from across Ireland have been selected to represent Ireland as part of Team ŠKODA Ireland at the international finals of the ŠKODA Service Challenge in June 2016. Team ŠKODA Ireland will compete against 35 countries in the International Finals, which take place in the Czech Republic in 2016. Ireland will be represented by Diagnostic Technician Kieran McGinty, from Donegal; Parts Advisor Joe Noone, from Galway; along with Service Manager Martin Healy and Service Technician Jonathan Leonard, both from Cork. Now in its sixth year, the ŠKODA Service Challenge has become a prestigious benchmark for measuring the qualities of the best employees in the global ŠKODA service network and includes four different categories: Parts & Accessory Sales Person of the Year; Best Overall Service Advisor; Best Overall Service Technician; and Best Overall Diagnostic Technician. Kieran McGinty has been working at DMG Motors in Donegal town since he was a teenager under the direction of his late uncle, Dan McGinty. Having gained his qualifications three years ago, Kieran is an experiences diagnostic technician and is currently undertaking a ‘Master Technician’ course with ŠKODA to develop and improve his skills and knowledge even further. Meanwhile, Parts Advisor, Joe Noone has been in the motor trade industry for over 20 years. He qualified as a Motor Technician after serving his apprenticeship in a Ford dealership, and has been working in the parts department at Monaghan & Sons in Galway for the past two and a half years.
Martin Healy works as Service Manager in Noel Deasy Cars in Blackpool, Cork. Martin has been with Noel Deasy Cars since March 2003, having studied automobile engineering in CIT where he completed a diploma with Merit. Martin brings a wealth of knowledge to the dealership having previously worked as a service advisor and body shop administrator with a Toyota dealership and as a body shop estimator with an Opel dealership. While, Jonathan Leonard is a Service Technician from E. Tarrant & Sons in Banteer, Co. Cork and has claimed the title of Service Technician champion for the second year in a row. Jonathan has over nine years’ experience in the motoring industry and has previously claimed a SKODA award for distinguished performance in the national skills competition. During his time at E. Tarrant & Sons, he completed his apprenticeship with a merit, and received a phase 6 best motor mechanic apprentice from CIT in 2009. Commenting on the announcement of Team ŠKODA Ireland, David Rave, Head of Aftersales at ŠKODA Ireland said: “We are delighted to announce the official line-up for Team ŠKODA Ireland that will be going forward to represent the country at the international ŠKODA Service Challenge finals in Prague next year. Kieran, Joe, Martin and Jonathan are extremely accomplished professionals in their field and I wish them the very best of luck in the finals. Team ŠKODA Ireland put in a very impressive performance in 2015, coming in at 4th position overall, so we are hopeful that we can claim the number one spot in June 2016”.
