Bridgestone UK Adds to Training Team

Bridgestone UK has strengthened its training team by appointing Phil Thirsk (52) to the role of technical training manager, where he will work alongside fellow manager Paul Turner. Thirsk has more than 35 years’ experience in the tyre industry; having started his career in the 1970s as a tyre fitter at ATS, he spent 20 years working at Goodyear in a variety of roles, including service manager for mileage contracts, and spent four years based in Brussels, working at Bandag Incorporated.

Phil Thirsk will now be jointly responsible for running Bridgestone UK’s training programmes for First Stop, Truckpoint, and independent tyre dealerships and is now looking forward to helping newcomers to the tyre industry generate their own career paths.

He said: “By delivering high-quality, detailed training I want to help raise the profile and public image of tyre fitters in this country. This is a highly-skilled trade, and technicians should feel proud of their skills,” he added.