In the shadow of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, the Commercial Vehicle Solutions Network (CVSN) displayed its impressive commitment to aftermarket training at The Seminar: Heavy Duty Education Week earlier this month in Dallas.
The annual event, which began as the GenNext Distributor Training Expo nearly a decade ago, was developed to support the education of the next generation of independent aftermarket professionals and business leaders.
Rebranded as Heavy Duty Education Week (HDEW) this year due to its expansive educational curriculum, CVSN says is building HDEW into the best workforce training event available throughout the independent aftermarket.
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“CVSN recognizes the biggest need our members face is making their teams better at what they do,” says Edward Kuo, CVSN executive director. “The purpose of The Seminar: Heavy Duty Education Week is to take employees whether they are brand new, in management or customer facing and equip them with the knowledge they need to be successful. No other educational event in the industry touches this demographic.”
This year’s event featured four educational tracks, anchored by the Distributor Training Expo. Other tracks were:
- GenFirst: For newcomers to the industry with up to two years of experience.
- GenNext: For employees seeking additional training, making it ideal for parts counter staff, outside sales representatives, mid-level managers, branch managers, purchasing managers, or those preparing for these positions.
- GenNext 2.0: For experienced employees seeking advanced training to elevate their skills and knowledge in the commercial vehicle aftermarket industry.
Participants gained targeted, hands-on training they can immediately use in their businesses, and CVSN says each session was designed around real-world challenges, led by industry experts and supported by key supplier partners.
“This isn't just training, it’s an investment in the future. In just three days, we effectively trained 30 distributors, an efficiency you simply won’t find elsewhere,” says Kuo.
In addition to classroom instruction, attendees also had access to the Distributor Training Expo trade show, meals and networking time and an off-site closing event reception.
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Overall, more than 120 aftermarket professionals from over 30 companies attended the event, which began May 13 and concluded May 16.
“Both the attendees and exhibitors were extremely pleased with the interaction that took place last week. The attendees were very inquisitive and asked all the questions they needed answered, and the exhibitors were able to spend quality one on one time with each of them,” Kuo adds.
Heavy Duty Education Week will return in 2026 in Indianapolis.
