Tom March came out on top in the Caterpillar Global Dealer Technician Challenge opening round, which was held at Finning UK & Ireland.
Finning UK & Ireland’s Staffordshire site was the backdrop as seven engineers competed over three timed technical challenges. March claimed the top spot following the challenges, giving him a chance to compete at the decider held at the CONEXPO trade event in Las Vegas.
“I was up against some excellent engineers, some with a little bit more experience than me, and none of the challenges were straightforward, so I was honoured to be considered as a front runner,” he said.
“I began my career working for Finning in Canada, which involved a lot of travel and working in some incredible places. Having settled down, I am now lucky enough to be working as a field engineer in the North-West where I grew up.
“Every day is different, and I get to meet some interesting people and solve problems for them. I’m delighted to still be in with a chance to compete in this global competition, and I’m looking forward to what comes next.”
In the next stage of the first round, March will take a written exam and submit a video. If he passes, he will be eligible to compete in the European regional qualifier of the Global Dealer Technician Challenge.
Caterpillar launched the global competition after the success of the Caterpillar Global Operator Challenge. The operator challenge is a widely anticipated event at CONEXPO, where crowds watch some of the best plant machinery operators perform.
“It’s great that Caterpillar is recognising the exceptional work that engineers in the dealer network do and also promoting what an amazing career you can have as an engineer both in field service or the workshop,” said Christina Pritchett, learning and development lead in engineering and technical at Finning UK & Ireland.
The European qualifier will be held in March 2025 at the Caterpillar Demonstration and Learning Center in Malaga.
