Students talk emerging technologies during best-in-class presentations at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology 

With emerging technologies and electric vehicles (EVs) a hot topic in Canada’s auto care sector over the past couple of years, it is only fitting that this year’s theme for Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) Student Aftermarket “Best-in-Class” presentation day is Electric vehicles in the aftermarket. For their presentations, students researched everything related to EVs—such as marketing, technologies, training, infrastructure, environmental impacts, and their impact on the auto care industry.  

For their presentations, students were evaluated on their content, their focus on the auto care sector, originality, research, and the organization of their topic and focus. The top three groups will have the opportunity to present in front of two AIA Canada Alberta Division members, Darwin Haeh of Specialty Sales and Marketing, and Joshua Braithwaite of NAPA Calgary, as well as AIA Canada Alberta Ambassador, Suzanne Le.  

The top three groups of the day focused on training in the EV aftermarket, infrastructure, and marketing in the aftermarket.  

The first presentation was about EV training in Canada’s aftermarket, where Tianxiao Yuan, Yong Zeng, Mason Huynh and Man Chiu focused on why it is needed, industry trends, who should be trained, and more importantly, how to effectively train.  

Following that presentation, the second group, which consisted of Mark Natividad, Christopher Castro, Tyler Stearns, and Billy Curtis, focused on infrastructure for EVs, current threats, challenges, and opportunities. 

To finish off the presentations, Tyler Selby, Audrey Repato, Muna Eh, and Nick Fennell focused on marketing in the aftermarket, providing an overview of the differences between dealerships and the aftermarket, and what to offer for marketing and training.  

After some deliberation from the judges, it was announced that Christopher Castro, Mark Natividad, Tyler Stearns and Billy Curtis, who presented on EV infrastructure and current challenges, won the Best-in-Class presentation title! Following the presentations, students had the chance to network with key industry players, talk about their presentations, and learn more about developing their careers in Canada’s busy and booming auto care sector.