Ignition Magazine Australia | February 2026

Toowoomba

Welcome to 2026.

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The start of a new year brings the opportunity to explore goals and aims for the year ahead, and I’m very excited to say that 2026 is already shaping up to be another big one for the Capricorn Community.

An ongoing point of conversation in our Community is the skills shortage. It affects workshops every day and makes finding qualified people an ongoing struggle. To help address this, I was thrilled to announce that Capricorn acquired Australian Skilled Migration (ASM) late last year. As the largest international recruiter for the automotive industry, ASM is a family-owned recruitment and migration company run by father-and-daughter team, Glenn and Alex Cole. The company specialises in connecting Australian businesses with fully vetted skilled overseas workers and managing the full employersponsored visa process. This partnership means Members will have better access to skilled talent from overseas who love working in Australia. For those interested in ASM’s services, please visit the Capricorn website.

The acquisition of ASM is just one of the ways Capricorn is working to alleviate the skills shortage for the industry. This year we will continue to grow our Rising Stars Awards, which celebrate and promote emerging talent in the industry. These awards help inspire others to consider a career in automotive and build a strong pipeline of skilled professionals for the future. Nominations will open soon for the 2026 Rising Stars Awards, so start thinking about the apprentices in your workshop who deserve recognition.

In addition to celebrating the leaders of the future, we are also continually looking at ways to promote the industry to apprentices of the future. Capricorn is proud to continue to grow our Career Expos, organised in partnership with other industry bodies, to even more locations this year. These expos run alongside Trade Shows to provide valuable opportunities for Members and Preferred Suppliers to connect with people interested in joining the industry. Last year’s events were a great success, and this year they will be even bigger and better. For those looking for staff or wanting to promote automotive careers, these expos are the perfect starting point.

As always in the Capricorn Community, there will be plenty of chances to connect throughout the year at Gala Dinners, Regional Trade Shows as well as the Capricorn Convention, and I look forward to seeing many of you there. These events are always a highlight; they offer an opportunity to celebrate the community, share ideas and strengthen connections.

The year ahead will bring its challenges, but the industry can make a real impact by working together. Thank you for being part of the Capricorn Community and for trusting Capricorn with your business. Here’s to a successful year ahead!

Brad Gannon Group CEO

When Glenn Cole started Australian Skilled Migration (ASM) in 2009, it was just himself and one other staff

member working out of a small office in Seymour, Victoria. Today, the company recruits around 800 skilled workers annually and has become Australia’s largest recruiter of Filipino workers.

Now, as part of the Capricorn Group, ASM is poised to help solve one of the automotive industry’s most pressing challenges: the critical shortage of qualified technicians.

Capricorn’s acquisition, announced in December, brings ASM’s 15 years of automotive recruitment expertise into the Capricorn cooperative, creating a powerful resource for Members struggling to find skilled workers.

For Glenn, who built ASM alongside his daughter Alex, the partnership represents a perfect alignment of values between two organisations committed to supporting small business.

Glenn’s journey to becoming one of Australia’s top international recruiters took an unconventional path. After working as the General Manager and Coach for several years at Seymour

Football Club, he transitioned into local recruitment with a government agency in 1998. When that contract ended, he co-founded a local recruitment company called Recruitment Innovations, which eventually expanded to five offices across Victoria.

The shift to international recruitment came around 2004, when a significant trades skills shortage emerged in Australia.

“I was coaching a guy whose dad was an engineer and he needed 80 electrical lines workers,” Glenn said. “I said, ‘righto, I’ll get ’em.’ So we jumped on an aeroplane, went to Manila—no internet back then. But we found them, and we were away.”

That first successful placement opened the door to major clients including Western Power (WA’s electricity supplier) and other electrical companies. By 2009, Glenn was ready to start fresh, establishing ASM with a focus on blue-collar international recruitment.

His daughter Alex joined straight out of school in 2011, eventually completing a diploma in accounting and a masters in business and becoming an integral part of the family business.

ASM has developed particular expertise in automotive recruitment, bringing more than 2,000 automotive tradespeople to Australia over the past decade. The company recruits across a wide range of bluecollar industries—including electricians, welders, fabricators, chefs, and construction workers—but automotive has remained a core strength.

While ASM recruits from all over the world, Glenn said the advantage of recruiting from the Philippines is that it’s “basically an English-speaking country”. He said English language competence was critical for both

visa requirements and taking direction on the workshop floor.

Glenn said what sets ASM apart is the company’s rigorous quality control processes. “We never get people just from a resume,” he said. “They’re always interviewed by an Australian with experience. I’ve probably interviewed a hundred thousand mechanics, so I know what I’m looking for.”

The company works with training centres in the Philippines equipped with diagnostic tools and lifts, allowing them to test each candidates’ practical skills.

“We can take people in and say, ‘okay, you’ve got 30 minutes

to do a minor service’, ‘now do a major service’. ‘What’s the diagnostic fault here? How do you fix it?”

Glenn often travels overseas with Australian business owners to conduct interviews, recognising that skills are only part of the equation.

“It’s not just about (a mechanic’s) skills; it’s about how they fit, or how the employer believes they’ll fit, with their current staff,” he said. “We are here to make their job easier.”

Capricorn’s 2025 State of the Nation report found the skills shortage was still the

most pressing issue in the automotive aftermarket, with 48 per cent of workshops looking for staff and 10 per cent having vacancies. Thirty-eight per cent said they were actively struggling to find qualified technicians. The problem was particularly acute in panel and paint businesses (69 per cent had staffing issues) and tyre and suspension workshops (62 per cent). Auto electrical (47 per cent) and mechanical workshops (48 per cent) were also impacted.

Capricorn Group CEO Brad Gannon said Members had “told us year-on-year that finding skilled workers is their number one challenge”.

“The skill shortage has ongoing impacts on small businesses in the automotive industry. For some businesses it stops them from taking on new work or impacts how quickly they can get cars back on the road. But for others it impacts their mental health and quality of life.”

State of the Nation found impacts of being understaffed included longer turnaround times for customers (28 per cent), turning away work (27 per cent), a negative impact on work-life balance (27 per cent), increased workload for staff (26 per cent), reduced productivity (24 per cent) and being unable to focus on growing the business (24 per cent).

To fix the challenge, Capricorn decided to take matters into its own hands—going out into the market to find an established international recruitment business with experience in automotive.

“By acquiring ASM we are bringing that capacity into the Group, making it easier for our small business Members to find international recruits to help them support their local communities and make a difference,” Brad said.

After extensive due diligence, the deal with ASM was inked in late 2025. Glenn, Alex and all their staff will remain with the business, now that it’s part of the Capricorn Community.

For Glenn, joining Capricorn means continuing the mission ASM has always had—supporting smallbusiness owners to build better businesses and better lives.

“We can make a difference to their bottom line and we can make a difference to their work-life balance,” he said.

ASM will continue operating under its own name with the same experienced team but be backed by Capricorn’s resources including HR support and IT infrastructure.

“Members can be very confident that we can make a difference to them,” Glenn said. “We’ve dealt with ‘Mum and Dad’-type small companies. We know what they need. We’re a good fit for them.

“Like Capricorn, we see ourselves as part of our client’s community, connecting them with the right workers to help them build their business. As a small business ourselves, we know how important the support of an organisation like Capricorn can be, and we’re really thrilled to be joining an organisation which believes in the same principles and values that we have.”

The acquisition of ASM comes at a time of significant growth for Capricorn, which recently surpassed 32,000 Members for the first time in its 50-year history. While ASM provides immediate capacity to help Members with international recruitment, Capricorn remains committed to supporting the development of local talent through initiatives like the Rising Stars awards and career expos.

Cyber criminals are always on the lookout for opportunities, with phishing scams targeting businesses of all sizes. Staying vigilant online is just as important as locking up your workshop at night, and we’re here to help you and your team stay safe.

Why phishing awareness matters

Phishing is one of the most common and costly cyber threats facing small businesses. It is a type of scam where cyber criminals impersonate trusted sources, often through email or texts that look genuine, but are designed to trick you or your team into clicking a malicious link, sharing sensitive information, or even making payments to fraudsters.

Most successful cyber-attacks succeed not because of technical flaws, but because someone is caught off guard or rushing. Taking a moment to think before acting is your best defence and it’s something we can all do, together.

How to spot a phishing email

Here are our five practical tips to

help you and your team stay safe:

Double check who it’s from

Look out for sneaky email addresses that mimic trusted ones but have small changes (e.g. contact@supplier.com.au vs contact@supplier-express.com.au). If something looks off, don’t click it.

Don’t let urgency cloud your judgement

Scammers love to use phrases like “Your account will be closed today!” or “Immediate action required” to make you act without thinking. Don’t let urgency steal your festive cheer, take a breath and check twice before you click.

Hover to uncover

Before you click any links, hover to preview the URL. If it looks suspicious or doesn’t match the sender’s organisation, it’s best to leave it unopened.

Look out for spelling mistakes and poor grammar

Watch for subtle spelling or grammar mistakes, even small errors can be a sign something’s off. If in doubt, verify the message by contacting the organisation using details you’ve found yourself, like from their official website. Always access secure portals or apps directly, never via email links.

Take extra precautions and protect your business with Cyber Insurance

The reality is that cybercrime is on the rise, with the Australian Cyber Security Centre receiving a report every six minutes, and the average attack costing a business nearly $50k.

Phishing scams are getting smarter so make sure your business is protected. It is not just about the right knowledge but also the right tools.

That’s why it’s important to have a safety net in place. In Australia, Capricorn offers Cyber Insurance through Capricorn Insurance Services, and in New Zealand, it is available through our insurance brokerage. Each service is designed to help your business recover quickly and reduce the financial and operational impact in case your targeted by cyber criminals.

What does Cyber Insurance cover?

Phishing attacks and credential theft

Denial of service and ransomware incidents

Point of sale intrusions and crimeware

Privacy errors and unauthorised data disclosure

Cyber response costs, business losses, and third-party claims (including loss of profits, IT forensics, PR costs, defence costs, and virus extraction)

Don’t wait until it’s too late!

At Capricorn, we’re here to help our Members stay safe on the road and online. Our team is here to help protect your business, all year round.

For more information on how Cyber Insurance can help protect your business, contact your local Risk Account Manager for more information, or simply call 1800 007 022 or email info@capricornrisk.com for assistance. No reputable company will ask for your passwords or credit card details via email, text or phone. If in doubt, check through official channels. Keep your information to yourself

Navigating FUTURE the

FUTURE

Ashley Beck’s vision for Berwick Auto Electrical

At 30, Ashley Beck is taking the wheel of the family business. Berwick Auto Electrical, between the

Dandenongs and the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, was established by Ashley’s father, Paul, and Uncle Geoff more than 40 years ago. Now the business is entering a new chapter, and at a pivotal moment for the entire automotive industry.

The business began in Beaconsfield, where Paul and Geoff Beck launched their first workshop together.

After a decade they expanded, opening a second workshop in Berwick. Eventually, the brothers took one workshop each, with Paul running Berwick and Geoff running Beaconsfield. Now, as Paul moves into semi-retirement, Ashley is steering the business into its next generation.

For Ashley, taking over wasn’t the obvious path. With 10 years of experience in plumbing, he had built a career outside the automotive industry. But when Paul began discussing succession planning a few years ago, Ashley took a leap of faith.

“I didn’t want to die wondering, so I thought I would give it a crack,” he said. “It’s been one of the best decisions, it’s been amazing.”

Ashley said his dad had built something worth preserving:

A business where three or four generations of customers come through the door. He wanted to keep that alive for another 40 years.

Was he daunted stepping in to run an auto electrical business when he’s not an auto electrician himself?

Not really. He grew up around the business and understands cars. He said Paul’s well-established systems and processes had made the transition relatively painless.

“It goes to show how well Dad has got the business set up,” he said. “It was a user-friendly business to step into.”

Ashley also has experienced hands to guide him. Alan, who did his apprenticeship with Paul 35 years ago, has become a mentor, providing Ashley with a steady source of knowledge and support.

Navigating FUTURE the

“I’ve always had either Dad or Alan to ask any questions,” he said. “I’ve just been like a sponge If there’s been a learning curve, it’s been in learning how to deal with customers and be the face of the business.

“I like dealing with people, so it’s been a really exciting change in my life,” he said. “Dad’s always embedded in me about communicating with customers, treating people the way you like to be treated. I feel like that’s a really good thing for the business in terms of keeping people.”

But the automotive industry is at a crossroads, with technology, including electric and hybrid vehicles, reshaping the landscape. That’s providing its own challenges.

“The biggest problem I find is just getting access to the information and the specs on the newer cars,”

Ashley said. “It’s quite hard to get all that sort of info from dealers.”

Parts availability, particularly for newer Chinese vehicles entering the market, has also proven difficult.

Then there’s the skills shortage, a persistent issue highlighted in Capricorn’s State of the Nation Report. Ashley is fortunate to have loyal, long-serving staff, but he knows how valuable they are.

“You’re heavily reliant on your staff, so they’re worth their weight in gold,” he said.

His approach is to pay well, keep the work interesting, provide incentives, and make the workplace enjoyable.

“It can’t just be all about work,” he said. “You’ve got to make it fun and an enjoyable place.”

At Berwick, that includes buying the team lunch most Fridays.

Ashley is also committed to training the next generation.

“There are a lot of kids out there trying to get a foot in the door,” he said. “You’ve got to train the kids up and put a bit back in, that’s what Dad’s always done.”

To stay ahead, Berwick Auto Electrical is investing in training and equipment. The team has completed entry-level electrical courses, they’re continually updating scan tools and software, and they draw on resources like the VACC’s Motor Tech support service.

Ashley is “yet to be convinced on electric” vehicles but said he’s preparing for them anyway.

Keep it in the family for another 40 years ” The vision: - Ashley

Berwick Auto Electrical has been a Capricorn Member since 1998.

“They’re always coming out, reaching out, keeping us up to date with what’s going on in the industry and checking in,” he said. “It’s just a good shoulder to lean on.”

So, what are his plans for the future? Ashley plans to grow the business by retaining loyal customers while attracting new ones in a rapidly expanding southeast Melbourne corridor. He’s brought in his own network from the trades, added fleet servicing work, and is focusing on marketing to reach potential customers in the area.

Community involvement remains central. The business sponsors local sporting teams and Paul and Ashley’s mother, Anne, who has managed the office since day one, are founding and passionate members of Riding for the Disabled in the area. Now Ashley’s partner, Chloe, is learning Anne’s role, ensuring continuity in the business’s back-office operations.

ELEVATED

Cadillac’s evolution includes sci-fi concept cars and Formula 1

ELEVATED

When the world around you is changing fast, you have two options: throw everything at

the wall or hit the wall. You can try everything in your power to grow, to evolve, to keep up, to perhaps even lead. Or you can keep on going as you are, until one day you realise you’ve been left behind, and either you hit the wall, or the wall hits you.

Cadillac, that fine American brand perhaps most beloved for its classic makes of the 1950s, isn’t going to let that happen. It’s gone all in on evolution, and it wants you to know about it.

In late 2024, Cadillac unveiled the Opulent Velocity concept car, a radical all-electric 2+2 coupe with butterfly doors and a 3D-printed interior. A year later, we have the Elevated Velocity. It has a similar look, it’s also an all-electric 2+2, but it’s a crossover with gull-wing doors. It’s a small step down from Opulent to Elevated, but given the Elevated is designed with a bespoke polo set in the boot and was supposedly designed with “desert polo pursuits” in mind, some of us might have to wait for Cadillac to release the “Standard” Velocity or “This’ll-Do” Velocity versions before we get out our chequebooks. Design a boot around a football, Cadillac, then we can talk.

But who cares, right? This is a concept. They’re all about ideas. And ideas are all about change and evolution. Cadillac is looking for innovations that keep them relevant and position them as leaders in an all-electric future. So, what’s the Elevated Velocity rocking?

It’s a taller, off-road version of its Opulent counterpart. It’s sleek, with a fastback roofline and a raked windshield. The bonnet is long, though the weight sits over the rear axle. The front echoes Cadillac’s current grilles, the headlights are right out at the sides and there are crystalline LEDs that give it a science-fiction look. The rear has fluted LED taillights and yet more futuristic LED decorations behind a glass tailgate.

In short, the exterior is stunning, like no SUV we’ve ever seen. Then it’s riding on these illuminated 24-inch wheels that fill the arches, giving the car a reassuring solidity on the road, and air suspension, so it doesn’t feel like you’re on the road at all.

The interior of the concept is bright red, taking some of its style cues from the Lyriq and Celestiq. The car greets you with “Welcome Mode”, which includes the gull-wings opening and soft white backlighting. It’s not exactly Kit from Knight Rider, but it does have a welcome animation on the steering wheel that’s supposedly reminiscent of shifting desert sands. So, there’s that. Other modes are e-Velocity, for regular on-road driving, Terra mode for off-road driving (it raises the ride height) and Sand Vision, for better visibility in a sandstorm (which is niche, but handy if you need it). The car also has a neat little trick called “Elements Defy”, which allows it to vibrate itself clean of sand, dirt and dust. Now that is cool.

Many of the ideas in this series of concepts won’t ever go into production, but you can bet Cadillac is watching how we

respond to them and they’ll be fine-tuning and developing the best of them so they make it into the production vehicles we’re buying in the near future.

Cadillac wants their name on our lips when it comes to thinking about buying our next car. They want us excited about the brand. And what better way to achieve that than to join the Formula 1 circuit in 2026?

General Motors president Mark Reuss said the company was “thrilled the Cadillac Formula 1 team is official”. “The excitement only grows as we get closer to showcasing GM’s engineering expertise on the prestigious global stage of F1.”

Cadillac has done a deal with Ferrari to use their power units and gearboxes for their race team. They’ve hired star drivers Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez to lead their campaign.

Team principal Graeme Lowdon told formula1.com the Cadillac team has been “doing a lot of testing and validation of individual components, things like testing noses, squeeze testing of chassis elements” and “now we can really push to come with the most competitive car that we can”. And that’s really what this is all about. Not just on the track, but on the forecourts of car dealerships all over the world.

Cadillac wants to be competitive. Cadillac isn’t just building cars; they’re building momentum. The automotive industry is on the precipice of major disruption and Cadillac, and their owners at GM, are determined to be a part of that change, throwing everything at the wall, rather than driving straight at it.

The Rise of AI in the Automotive Aftermarket

A New Era of Diagnostic Support with Tina

AThe automotive industry has always thrived on innovation and adaptability, but the

pace of technological change in recent years has been nothing short of extraordinary. As vehicle complexity skyrockets, artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as an indispensable ally in the aftermarket world, reshaping the way we approach office management, diagnostics, repairs, and technical learning.

This article will explore not only the broader impact of AI on our industry but also take you behind the scenes of TaT’s own groundbreaking development, Tech Tina, the industry’s first AI-powered Diagnostic Assistant.

AI’s Expanding Role in the Automotive Aftermarket

AI is quietly revolutionising the way aftermarket workshops run their businesses, not just under the bonnet, but behind the desk. In the office, AI is taking on the time-consuming administrative work that once kept owners and service advisors glued to their screens. Smart scheduling systems automatically book appointments, send reminders, and adjust calendars to fill cancellations. AI-assisted invoicing platforms can create, send, and reconcile invoices instantly, while

chatbots handle after-hours enquiries and online bookings, ensuring no customer goes unanswered.

AI tools are also changing how workshops manage their business performance. Intelligent dashboards track key metrics such as job profitability, technician efficiency, and parts usage, giving owners real-time insights that help them make better decisions without needing a data analyst.

While advancements in AI have been working wonders in the office, many technicians have remained hesitant to trust generic AI for diagnostic advice. The risks associated with inaccurate guidance or misinformation are simply too great, not just in wasted parts, but also in lost time and, most importantly, customer trust. For most technicians, the stakes have been too high to place their faith in unproven technology. That is, until now.

Enter Tina: Your New Diagnostic Assistant

Tina isn’t your average chatbot or a generic, off-the-shelf AI. She is the result of a vision championed by TaT director, Rod Maher, who recognised that the future of diagnostics lay not just in having access to accurate information and data, but in being able

to decipher and sort through the information in a timely manner. Drowning in too much information and not knowing where to start was becoming a problem.

With Rod’s guidance and involvement at every step, our team set out to create something game-changing: an AI built from the ground up with access to our vast databases of information 5,500 Repair solution case studies, 24,000 Good Scan & Scope data captures and 9,000 Fault code files.

Safer, Smarter, and Always Evolving - Why Tina is Different

Unlike generic AI platforms that indiscriminately scrape the open internet, risking outdated, inaccurate, or even unsafe advice, Tina’s expertise is tightly integrated with the trusted, curated resources of the TaT database, along with a tight set of technician-focussed guardrails to ensure information is also retrieved from high quality internet sources. This makes her inherently safer and more reliable for automotive professionals. These safeguards ensure that TaT members receive relevant, safe, and workshop-tested advice, not the “generic guesses” that so often characterise broad-use AI.

In today’s industry, where one wrong test procedure can destroy an expensive module or sensor, this level of precision is non-negotiable.

How Tina Assists Members in the Real World

What sets Tina apart isn’t just her technical competence, but her practicality. Above all, she is designed to search our enormous database for you, instantly surfacing the exact Repair solutions, Scan or Scope data files, fault code pathways, or case studies you need. No more trawling through mountains of files or hunting for that elusive magazine article.

Let’s look at just some specific examples of Tina’s practical utility:

1. Diagnosing Diesel DPF Issues: When faced with a modern diesel suffering DPF problems, Tina instantly references Australian-relevant repair data and highlights diagnostic steps tailored for our fuels, climate, and regulations, while advising on safe chemical cleaning methods rather than recommending risky forced regenerations.

2. Circuit and Sensor Faults: If a member reports a sensor circuit low input code, Tina considers the code description and walks

the technician through every relevant step, focusing on the correct diagnostic order, the right tests to perform, and what the technician should be aiming to confirm at each stage. She understands the importance of load testing over resistance testing.

3. Interpreting Range/Performance Codes: Tina has been trained to understand that range/ performance codes on sensors can indicate a mechanical fault, not just a sensor or circuit problem.

All of these steps happen in real time, with each recommendation backed by links to detailed technical articles, solutions, and test procedures sourced directly from our own archives, not random sources or backyarder forums.

Your own 24/7 Diagnostic assistant

As the skills gap in the automotive repair industry widens and vehicles grow ever more complex, Tina serves as every member’s personal on demand “diagnostic assistant”. Whether it’s after-hours, during a high-pressure diagnostic job, or when faced with an unfamiliar fault code, Tina provides tailored diagnostic guidance in seconds. Independent workshops and their staff are gaining the confidence to handle even the most complex late-model vehicles, enhancing both their reputation and their bottom line.

If you want to give Tech Tina a try, scan the QR code for a “no commitment”

Gear up with great deals and Capricorn Rewards Points

Start the year with great deals on snacks, drinks, and work essentials - from stationery to everyday tech - at Woolworths at Work. Plus, earn Capricorn Rewards Points along the way.

To shop and earn, login to myCAP today.

To join Woolworths at Work, scan the QR code and sign up now.

Fun Zone

Submit your entry at cap.coop/funzone by 28 February 2026 No winner in December.

10,000 Bonus Reward Points will be awarded to February’s winner.

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