Hyundai Motor Philippines, Inc. (HMPH), led by its Aftersales Division, hosted the Hyundai Technician Skills Championship (HTSC).

It is an event where technicians from the brand's national and global dealerships go head-to-head to compete and test their skills against each other.

For this regional round of the competition, Dave Chou, a seven-year veteran from the Chiongbian Group’s Hyundai Las Piñas outlet, emerged as the overall winner.

Chou has been a loyal technician for the brand since March, 2016. The 2023 competition is his first appearance and win. His peers and trainers regard his win as the fruit of his diligence and hard work.

Hyundai formed HTSC to promote education amongst its service professionals. It also helps further develop their technical skills, competence in engineering advancements, customer-care excellence, and sense of duty as a changemaker in daily business operations. Moreover, it acknowledges the country’s top talents and allows them to shine internationally.

Selecting the best

This year's competition is the first under the management of HMPH and was participated by twelve (12) technicians across the 30 Hyundai dealerships in the country.

Last February 2023, thirty-eight candidates underwent a series of online courses through the Hyundai Training Academy (HTA) portal to prepare for the event.

The training course concluded with a 50-question exam where the participants were tested on their knowledge of the brand and mastery of mechanical jobs. The 12 highest scorers entered the in-person contest on April 14, 2023, at the NYK warehouse facility in Sto. Tomas, Batangas.

“Our local tagline ‘Innovate Everyday’ does not only focus on developing new-generation and advance Hyundai vehicles but it also serves as an inspiration for us to find new ways to improve overall car ownership experience by providing existing and soon-to-be Hyundai owners the Aftersales care and expertise they deserve," said Young Uk Ko, HMPH Directing Coordinator for Aftersales.

Elimination round

The 12 qualifiers were divided into three groups of four individuals for the multi-round event.

They worked on HMPH’s new subcompact crossover SUV, the Creta, and were evaluated based on three diagnostic areas – Engine, Electrical, and Chassis. Within specified time limits, each had to analyze and troubleshoot the designated units successfully.

Hyundai’s Aftersales service team members headed by their manager Raymond Joseph, facilitated the activities. Points were tallied using a ratio of 90% practical test and 10% pre-qualification exam score.

The criteria for judging include following the step-by-step procedures, diagnosing the correct issue, and repairing the system.

Winners for this round were awarded on the same day, starting with the best performers per category. Ko, along with HMPH General Manager for Aftersales, Mr. Eric Ortiz, took the stage to recognize the achievements of the following technicians:

Best in Engine - Jessie Bautista, Hyundai Baliwag Bulacan
Best in Electrical - Rebbert Ouano, Hyundai Cebu North
Best in Chassis - Richard Nolos, Hyundai Alabang

From 12 to the top 3

Dongwook Lee, HMPH President, and Cecil Capacete, HMPH Managing Director, were joined by Ngoi Chee Hien, ASEAN Regional Headquarters Technical Training Manager, to award the top three overall finalists for the event. Aside from the awards, the finalists were also given cash prizes. 

Champion - ₱50,000

David Ann Louie Chou of Hyundai Las Pinas - 74.20 points

1st-Runner Up - ₱30,000

Rommel Bulasco of Hyundai Tarlac - 71.30 points

2ndRunner Up - ₱20,000

Dionicio Carino of Hyundai Dagupan Pangasinan - 67.30 points

“Today is a very significant occasion for HMPH as we are highlighting one of the key commitments of the Hyundai brand to its Filipino customers which is providing an exceptional and holistic car ownership experience,” says Cecil Capacete, HMPH Managing Director. 

“It is an honor to witness the commendable skill sets of our best technicians and their passion for the craft. Congratulations to our well-deserved winners! To Hyundai Las Piñas’ very own Dave Chou, our champion, we wish you good luck. Make us proud as you fly to Seoul and compete to show the world what Pinoys can do,” Capacete continued. 

On to the international stage

As the National Title holder, Mr. Dave Chuo is now the official representative of the Philippines and will head to South Korea for the international leg of the 14th World Skills Olympics (WSO) set in October.

There he will face off against other technicians from over 70 countries coming from Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America.

What do you think of Dave Chou's journey to represent the Philippines on an international stage? Let us know in the comments.

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