Porsche Sets the Training Benchmark

Designed in conjunction with Porsche AG, Porsche's new National Training Centre in the Essendon Fields development in Melbourne will house year-round programmes of all kinds, with the capacity to host technical training for all Porsche products, be they Electric Vehicles (EV), Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) or Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles.

Completed in late 2020, the facility has already educated technicians from all Australian Porsche Centres in the preparation, services for, and repair of the Taycan. It will also re-train both front-line sales staff and technicians annually, or as required with the advent of new technology. Most Porsche dealer personnel, from receptionists through to workshop technicians, are expected to receive advanced training at the new facility by the end of 2021.

The Essendon Fields facility allows for a higher level of specialised product training for everyone in the Australian Porsche network, according to Porsche Cars Australia Training Manager Heath Francis.

Those undertaking the facility’s intensive hands-on technical courses must pass Porsche’s High Voltage Technical (HVT) training for the maintenance of Porsche Cayenne and Panamera PHEV models before receiving the more intensive Taycan training.

The newest training course for the Taycan is a five-day programme, with approximately a dozen technicians per session.

Porsche sales staff throughout the dealer network have also been given specific Taycan EV training. However, while the arrival of the Taycan set the timeline for the establishment of the Essendon Fields facility, Francis says the elevated level of technical and product training will benefit all Porsche owners, from Classic owners all the way through to those with the most recent models.

“We are always looking for ways to enhance the Porsche ownership experience and we have been planning this centre for some time,” explains Francis. “The Taycan and its new EV technology were the catalyst to turn the new Porsche Training Centre into reality. The aim is to certify more technicians throughout our organisation.

“Owners will be able to take confidence from the fact that the service technician who maintains their Porsche will have the highest level of training, no matter which Porsche Centre you visit.”

Francis says that the training programs for Taycan give Porsche Centre staff extensive knowledge of the latest EV technology, but that other state-of-the-art features such as driver assistance systems and connectivity were also a major part of the curriculum.

And while the Taycan was a pioneering model in terms of technology, it also offered considerable emotional appeal to traditional Porsche enthusiasts, because it delivered a true, undiluted Porsche sportscar driving experience.

“No-one who has driven a Taycan doubts that they are driving a true Porsche,” as Francis says. “The training we can offer in the facility ensures our network is ready to manage any Taycan enquiry from owners and potential owners alike, with the high level of service they have come to expect from Porsche.”

The new Essendon Fields facility joins a network of other EV-capable Porsche training facilities in major markets around the world. It ensures Taycan owners receive Porsche-standard service and support wherever the Taycan is sold. It is considered the benchmark for electric vehicle support in Australia.

The ‘greenfield’ Melbourne facility consists of a new brand lounge, two dedicated classrooms and two spotless workshops where participants completely strip and then re-assemble a new Taycan. A 50 kW EV charging station is situated at the front of the building, with two 22 kW charging modules—each similar to those that interact with the Taycan’s Home Energy Manager—at the rear of the facility.

The new Essendon Fields facility joins a network of other EV-capable Porsche training facilities in major markets around the world.

The new Brand Presentation Lounge and Workshop were developed in conjunction with Australian interior design specialist CoCo Republic (a company already well-known to many Porsche customers).

The newest training program for the Taycan is a five day program, with approximately a dozen technicians per session. The trainer-to-participant ratio ensures that knowledge is absorbed in an intimate setting and that training is a rewarding experience for Porsche Centre staff.