Taking place May 31 to June 2 at the college’s Barrie campus.
Students who attend the Automotive Business School of Canada in Barrie have a unique opportunity to learn about a wide range of disciplines in the auto industry by participating in the planning and organizing of the largest outdoor, student-run auto show in Canada.
The 2019 Georgian College Auto Show takes place May 31 to June 2 at the college’s Barrie campus. Automotive students serve as student directors and ambassadors of the show, and each student has a specific role to play in this event.
Each year, five student directors are appointed for various roles: marketing and media relations; student experience; site management and logistics; customer experience; and performance and sponsorship.
This type of involvement gives students an opportunity to develop important skills such as public speaking and networking with the public and with auto industry people. For consumers, this is a sales-free environment, so there is no pressure to buy.
The student directors each have a mentor who is a faculty member at the Automotive Business School of Canada. This year, the role of auto show manager was created as a permanent, full-time position, strictly focused on the event.
The theme for this year is Ignited By Passion. The student directors wanted to choose a theme that would communicate what built and drives the automotive industry.
This year, the organizing committee has included motorcycles of various brands from local Barrie dealers, which will be represented by student teams. In total, 261 automotive students will represent 26 teams that include automotive manufacturers, local motorcycle dealers, support teams and a Show and Shine Team.
The Show and Shine portion of the event will feature students’ and visitors’ vehicles on May 31, tuners on June 1 and classic cars on June 2.
Exhibitors include Acura, Mazda, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Honda, Ford, Porsche, Volkswagen, Toyota, Infiniti, GMC, Chevrolet, Alfa Romeo, BMW, Volvo, Lexus, Mitsubishi, Mercedes-Benz, Lincoln, Nissan, Hyundai and Subaru.
The show will also feature three new food vendors, multiple new attractions (including a LEGO display), a bulldog who skates and drives a Bentley car and more.
New for this year, student directors have introduced and host the first Georgian College Auto Show VIP Night. This cocktail reception will reunite local dealerships, original equipment manufacturers, sponsors, alumni and current and previous Georgian Auto Show student directors, as well as the team leaders from the 26 teams.
Marketing is key to driving awareness and bringingattendees to the show. This year, show organizers have increased its online (including social media) presence by engaging early with the public and throughout the months leading up to the event.
Organizers have also attended farmers markets and the Barrie and Newmarket home and lifestyle shows and introduced curated content — including trivia questions, articles and fun facts — on the auto show’s Facebook page.
The popular Pfaff Drifting Track returns, providing car enthusiasts with an exciting experience. A minimum
$5 donation will give attendees a chance to sit in a Porsche alongside a professional driver and experience drifting. All donations this year are in support of Youth Haven in Barrie.
Again, this year there will be an auction on Saturday, with manufacturer merchandise, sports tickets, golf green fees and electronics up for grabs. All proceeds will go toward student awards and scholarships for the Automotive Business School of Canada.
The Georgian College benefits from many corporate sponsors, which include major automakers, retailers, local media companies, dealer groups and the Trillium Automobile Dealers Association.
The first day of the show, Friday, will be Pay-What-You-Can donation day. For Saturday and Sunday, admission is $5 online and 7$ at the gates. Kids are free.
For more information about the 2019 Georgian College Auto Show, visit www.georgiancollege.ca.
This column represents the views and values of the TADA. Write to [email protected] or go to tada.ca. Cliff Lafreniere is president of the Trillium Automobile Dealers Association and is president of Pinewood Park Motors (Ford) in Kirkland Lake. For information about automotive trends and careers, visit carsandjobs.com.
Keyword: Full Speed Ahead for the Student-run 2019 Georgian College Auto Show