Celebrating Excellence: Ford South Africa Hosts Inaugural SE&O Skills Contest

On 18 September 2025, Ford South Africa proudly hosted the inaugural Service Engineering & Operations (SE&O) Skills Contest, a landmark event that brought together nine of the country’s top automotive technicians for a day to showcase skill, precision, and passion.

Held under the banner of excellence, the contest featured three custom-designed test stations where deliberate faults were built into vehicles. Each technician was tasked with diagnosing and rectifying these faults within a 1.5-hour window per station. Their performance was assessed based on diagnostic methodology, equipment usage, and systematic problem-solving—hallmarks of world-class technical expertise.

The event culminated in a celebratory awards evening, where all nine technicians were honoured for reaching the top tier of national talent. The spotlight then turned to the top three performers, with Brendon Jordaan from Eastern Cape Motors North End earning the prestigious title of South Africa’s top technician. Brendon will go on to represent the country at the IMG Skills Contest in Thailand this November, competing against elite technicians from across the region.

The event was also attended by PK Umashankar, Director of Customer Service Operations, IMG, who commended the technicians and emphasized the strategic importance of technical capability in dealership competitiveness.

In his closing remarks, Kevin Heunis, Director of SE&O, captured the spirit of the day:
"To our contestants, you’ve inspired us all. Your talent, determination, and spirit have set the bar for excellence in our industry. Whether you’re walking away with a prize or not, you’ve already achieved something remarkable by competing at this level. Today, you’ve shown that no matter how tough this industry gets, we have the skills, the passion, and the resilience to succeed."

The SE&O Skills Contest is set to become an annual celebration of technical mastery—raising the bar, recognising excellence, and driving innovation across the automotive landscape.