Kia Holds 12th Skill World Cup to Identify Top Global Technicians
Kia concluded its 12th Skill World Cup, a global competition selecting top service technicians from 40 countries.
42 technicians
40
$5,000
What Happened
Kia Corporation held the 12th Kia Skill World Cup from May 19 to 21 in Seoul and Yongin, Korea. The biennial competition, launched in 2002, identifies top service technicians from around the world. This year, 42 technicians from 40 countries participated in written and practical assessments.
- Service theory knowledge through written examinations
- Vehicle diagnostics and repair skills in practical evaluations
- Component-level analysis to assess precision and technical depth
- New EV-specific criteria reflecting the industry's shift toward electrification
- Gold Award: Tom Sharples (United Kingdom) - 708 points, $5,000
- Silver Awards: Guo Wenlei (China), Aaron Addison (United States) - $3,000 each
- Bronze Awards: Jorian van Harten (Netherlands), Max Umbs (United States), Maciej Podlecki (Poland) - $2,000 each
- Six Excellence Awards: plaque and $500 each
Why this matters
The competition helps Kia strengthen its global service network and prepare technicians for electrified vehicles, ensuring high-quality customer service.
Terms in This Story
- Skill World Cup
- A biennial global competition organized by Kia to identify and reward top service technicians.
- Service technician
- A professional who diagnoses, repairs, and maintains vehicles.
- Electrification
- The shift from internal combustion engines to electric vehicle technology.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.