SEMA SHOW EDUCATION
Sports legend and philanthropist Tim Tebow was a keynote in an education program that featured a wide range of inspirational speakers and industry topics.
Away From the Crowds, SEMA Educational Sessions Promote Career Advancement and Personal Growth
Compiled by SEMA Magazine Editors
As part of SEMA’s continuing initiative to offer comprehensive career- and professional-development programs to members throughout the year, the 2023 SEMA Show featured a hands-on education curriculum of nearly 100 courses that focused on leadership and skills development, networking, exploration of emerging trends, and industry best practices.
“We wanted to support our attendees by offering a customizable learning journey for skill development and competency-based education, inclusive of the Show and throughout the rest of the year,” said Pamela Brown-Matthis, SEMA director of education. “Our goal was to engage Showgoers by creating high-energy learning situations throughout the Show environment and creating educational opportunities that are delivered in various formats, whether they be ‘fireside chats,’ workshops, Main Stage Experiences or celebrity showcases.”
This 2023 Show’s educational curriculum featured globally recognized motivational speakers and industry leaders who shared their experiences and expertise with Show attendees.
“We were very intentional about selecting our sessions and speakers,” Brown-Matthis explained. “All of our speakers are subject-matter experts who have the knowledge and ability to inspire change, and our sessions offer content that is relevant, meaningful and valuable for all our Show participants.” For 2023, Show planners organized the Show’s sessions into six highly focused SEMA Education tracks: Inside the Shop; Aftermarket Updates and Future Trends; Small-Business Strategy; Sales and Marketing; Vehicle Technology and Electric
Vehicles; and Legal and Regulatory.
All of our speakers are subject- matter experts who have the knowledge and ability to inspire change, and our sessions offer content that is relevant, meaningful and valuable for all our Show participants.”
Among the many new 2023 sessions, a Women in Automotive Symposium included four professional-development workshops, a power networking luncheon and a fireside chat hosted by Carolyn Jackson of Barrett-Jackson Auctions and Amanda Bursick of Fox News. An all-day Digital Marketing Bootcamp gave attendees the tools needed to succeed in online media. Additionally, a panel on Alternative Fuels, hosted by Automotive News, explored emerging propulsion technoligies, including natural gas and E85 ethanol. In a similar vein, “The Future of Automotive Fuel Technology,” a panel moderated by PBS’s Margaret Hoover (“Firing LIne”) hosted global industry leaders who discussed the application of alternative fuels in the automotive industry.
Finally, a day-long EV certification program offered hands-on training to technicins. Interest in the program was so strong, three separate workshops were scheduled to accommodate attendee demand.
