What does the Delphi Academy have to offer?
The Delphi Academy has officially opened its doors following a major expansion project, claiming to set a new standard in aftermarket training. CVW was there…
Following a £500,000 expansion, Delphi Academy has officially reopened as one of Europe’s largest automotive training centres, now spanning 1,430m2. Parts giant Delphi is part of the massive Phinia group, which also includes heavy duty starter and alternator brand Delco Remy and injection testing business Hartridge.
Phinia was created by a management buyout of the group companies from BorgWarner and generated $3.5bn in sales in 2023, 56% of which were in CV (inc. OE) and/ or aftermarket. The company claims to be “propulsion agnostic” and therefore develops fuel systems, electrical systems, and aftermarket solutions across all types of fuels, whether petrol, diesel, EV and alternative technologies such as hydrogen (whether fuel cell or combustion) for heavy-duty and medium-duty trucks, off-highway construction and agriculture; as well as light vehicles, including LCVs.
Size matters
Delphi’s training facility in Warwick has now doubled in size by extending into a neighbouring unit, with the new wing dedicated specifically to training in hybrid, electric vehicle (EV), and hydrogen technologies. The official opening ceremony was on October 22nd and attracted industry leaders, training experts, and representatives from major organisations worldwide, seeking to tour the state-of-the-art centre and experience its facilities.
The facility is indeed impressive, although the first impression is that it is essentially given over to cars. Fear not, say Delphi, as it claims to be able to manage the heavy-duty sector as well, particularly in respect of diagnostic training and the day before it had hosted the IMI Heavy Vehicle Technology World Skills competition.
It has OE partnerships with the likes of Volvo, Daimler Trucks, Iveco and Caterpillar; and aftermarket relationships with, for example, Royal Mail and National Express. In the case of the latter, Delphi has developed white label training for the company to help manage its new BYD electric double decker bus fleet.
With a new open-plan workshop and additional interactive classrooms, the extension offers wide potential to equip technicians with the skills needed to work on the latest vehicle technologies. Training rooms include one for tyre changing, while a workshop area is dedicated to hydrogen internal combustion. Featuring a fuel storage set up and a working ‘Frankenstein’ hydrogen engine, the company has based its programme around a converted 2.2 diesel Peugeot Expert, not least because of a compatible exhaust treatment – and that the Expert is commercially available as a hybrid hydrogen/ EV vehicle. Beyond that, the company has two hydrogen test bays at its HGV facility in Gillingham, Kent.
It offers the IMI Level 1 Award in Hydrogen Vehicle Awareness and has its own two-day ‘advance hydrogen’ training programme to deliver better understanding of fuel cells and hydrogen combustion.
Future is bright
A new 16-seat conference room with glass-fronted walls offer a panoramic view of the workshop, alongside a comfortable breakout area. A dedicated product showroom showcases the latest Delphi innovations, while a specialist automotive recording, photography, and 3D scanning studio supports the creation of new training videos, webinars and interactive simulations for Delphi’s Masters of Motion and e-learning programmes.
Meanwhile, the existing workshop and classrooms are now focused on delivering training for all other courses, including vehicle electronics, engine management, fuel systems, and diagnostics.
“We now have the capacity to train up to 64 students a day (eight courses of eight students), making this one of the largest centres of its kind in Europe,” says Luke Garratt, Delphi UK technical services manager. “This investment emphasises our commitment to future technologies and highlights our dedication to helping workshops thrive in a rapidly changing industry.”
Coinciding with the opening of the new training centre, the company has also launched a new online booking system. It means technicians can now quickly view course availability and schedule their learning, while providing garage owners and managers with tools to monitor training progression.
