Kia APAC Opens New Regional Training Centre in Glenmarie

Korean automaker Kia has opened its first training centre for the Asia Pacific region in Glenmarie, Shah Alam.

For those who didn’t know, Kia has been operating its Asia Pacific regional headquarters here in Malaysia for years. With that being said, the Korean automaker recently expanded its APAC venture here by opening a new regional training centre in Glenmarie, Shah Alam.

Human Resources Minister YB Steven Sim was present during the launch of the training centre.

Announced via Kia APAC’s official LinkedIn page, this new training facility is the brand’s fifth global training centre, with the previous four located in Germany, Russia, the UAE, and the US. As the sole training hub for the whole APAC region, this new facility will oversee training activities of up to 3,000 Kia personnel annually, all hailing from 34 countries in the region—Malaysia included.

APAC-bound Kia models like the EV3 (left) & EV5 (right) will be made available at this facility for product training activities.

Spanning 10,000 square-feet in an investment worth over RM3 million, this new training facility houses several hi-tech classrooms that will be used for theoretical training, as well as fully-fledged workshops with computerised vehicle resource centre, virtual repair simulators, and diagnostic equipment. Once operational, this facility will handle product training activities for APAC-bound Kia products such as both the EV5 and EV3, to name a few.

Kia insisted that the training centre’s facilities and training methods mirror the global standards of the Hyundai Motor Group, and its location next to the Kia Glenmarie flagship 3S centre—which is coincidentally operated by its local importer and distributor Dinamikjaya Motors (Bermaz Auto)—provides trainees with direct exposure to real-world situations.

Kia APAC CEO Kevin Ahn

Commenting on this momentous occasion, Kia APAC CEO Kevin Ahn said, “Malaysia was selected out of our 34 markets in APAC for its strategic location, allowing us to meet the evolving needs of the industry while keeping our teams at the forefront of technological advancements.”

“Malaysia’s diverse talent pool and strong language proficiency further affirm it as the ideal choice for our training hub,” the Kia APAC CEO added.