With the Top Awards 15 May deadline for entries fast approaching, organisers are issuing a call to independent garages, technicians and apprentices across the UK: don’t let imposter syndrome stand in the way of showcasing your skills.
Comprising Top Technician, Top Garage and Top Apprentice, the Top Awards are widely regarded as the industry benchmark for excellence. Yet organisers and judges say many highly capable professionals still hold back, mistakenly believing they are not “ready” or “good enough” to compete.
Ryan Fuller, Managing Director of the Top Awards, is urging the industry to take that first step: “Our biggest message right now is simple: don’t think you’re not good enough. Every year, there is incredible talent hidden away in workshops across the country simply because people are too modest to put themselves forward. Entering is the first step towards realising just how skilled you and your team really are.”
Ant Jhally, a 2025 Top Garage judge, believes the sector often underestimates its own impact: “Take the plunge and put yourself out there. Every person we’ve met during these competitions does not realise how much they’re doing for their industry.
“What you’re doing on a daily basis is already a lot, so why not get recognised for it? It’s a fully inclusive community, and everyone is here to help push standards forward.”
The call to action is particularly relevant to the next generation of workshop talent, with Top Apprentice championing emerging skills.
Troy Smith, 2025 Top Apprentice finalist, admitted he originally didn’t expect to go far but urged peers to take the leap: “It’s been a good challenge. You’ve got people around you who are really experienced, and all the judges are not there to scare you at all. They’re there to help you through it… it’s definitely worth doing, 100%.”
While a place in the live finals in November remains the ultimate goal, previous entrants suggest the Top Awards are about far more than lifting a trophy. The structured, multi-stage format provides a valuable audit of both technical ability and business performance, offering participants a clear view of where they stand and how they can improve.
John Hall, a Thirsk-based Auto Electrician and multiple Top Awards finalist, highlights the long-term value of taking part. Having first reached the Top Technician semi-finals in 2011, he now uses the competition as a benchmark for continuous improvement, even reinvesting previous winnings into EV tools and advanced diagnostic training.
“Get involved in it, even if you only get to round one and don’t progress any further,” he said. “You will realise what the standard is, you will realise where your weaknesses are, make a note of them, and get training for it.
“Prepare for the interview as if you were presenting a business case to a bank manager. Treat it as a sales pitch, sell your business.”
Entry submissions for Top Garage, Top Technician and Top Apprentice close on 15 May, with participants completing an initial multiple-choice assessment.
Those who progress will face increasingly rigorous challenges. Semi-finalists in the Top Garage and Top Apprentice categories will complete online assessments between 19 June and 4 August, while the UK’s top 10 technicians will gather at Delphi Academy in Warwick on 3 October for a high-pressure, in-person assessment featuring ten 20-minute live fault-finding tasks.
The competition will culminate on Saturday 14 November at Delphi Academy, where finalists will take on their ultimate practical and business challenges in a bid for the title.
To enter, or to encouragean outstanding technician or apprentice, visit: https://aftermarketonline.net/competition/.
