Success Stories
Kelly takes top honour
By James Murphy
The Lobethal resident, who is in the fourth of year of his apprenticeship, recently claimed the prestigious MTA Apprentice of the Year. Commencing his apprenticeship only weeks after successfully completing Year 12, Matthew began his mechanical journeyat Morris Mania, only to later move on to his current place ofemployment at Adelaide Exclusive Mechanical (AEM). “Initially I was hosted at Morris Mania which gave me a sound grounding in my apprenticeship where I completed many competencies in my Training Record Book and was close to completing others,” Kelly said. “The nature and age of the cars that Morris Mania focused on allowed me to learn the basics of mechanical fault diagnosis,repairs and principles.” The apprentice, who has been a member of the MTA-GTSMotorsport Repair Team since 2007 and has worked at three Clipsal 500 events, said the MTA-GTS experience was ofthe highest quality. “The lecturing staff are dedicated and knowledgeable tradesman who devote themselves fully to the apprentices who they teach. “The training modules are relevant, thorough and well complemented by the training aids and the lecturers ownexperiences which they can also use in the curriculum where possible.” For the past two-and-a-halfyears Matthew has worked under the supervision of Sergio Della-Verde at Adelaide Exclusive Mechanical and the former Saint Ignatius studentbelieves this experience has taken him to the next level. “My time at AEM has been excellent. I feel privileged to be hosted there. The vehicles that we deal with are on the cuspof technology so this ensures the cars are forever changing, which means I am consistently learning. “At the start of my apprenticeship I never expected to be fixing makes like BMW, Porsche, Ferrari, VW, Audi and Mercedes Benz and that is what I am doing at AEM.” Matthew has been recognised with a number of awards over his four years as an apprentice. He was recognised as a finalist at the 2010 Group Training Australia (SA) Branch Apprentice of the Year awards – where he was presented to the Governor of South Australia His Excellency Rear Admiral Kevin Scarce AC CSC RANR. Matthew has also been awarded as the GTA SA Apprentice ofthe Year Finalist 2009, Most Outstanding Achievement Award for Third Year Apprentice 2008 and the MTA-GTS Occupational Health and Safety Award 2007 for trade school intake. Having been a part of Australia’s largest Motor Sport festival for the past three years has provided Matthew with some excellent experiences and allowed him to build some valuable contacts. “In 2008, I was offered a position in the MTA-GTS Motorsport Repair Team and was lucky enough to be invited to work in the pits for Ford Performance Racing (FPR) at the Clipsal 500. “Getting so close to the action, the adrenaline fuelled pit stops, helping with pre-race preparation and also experiencing the team dynamic, enthusiasm and excitement of the event gave me a rare insight into this side of the industry.” It is the fast pace of pit lane that Matthew would eventually like to see himself, but for the moment he is happy continuing to develop his trade with Adelaide Exclusive Mechanical. “Although my goals for the immediate future are firmly based at AEM, I would like to be more involved in motorsport. Hopefully with a V8 Supercar team such as Garry Rogers Motorsport. “I also find the prospect of perhaps joining the lecturing staff at the MTA-GTS later in my career quite appealing. I would like to give back to the industry and help apprentices in a similar way that I received.”
Apprentice of the Year 2008 - Scott Humphrys
Strength to Strength for Scott
Following in his brothers footsteps, Diesel Mechanic Scott Humphrys has always had an interest in the motor industry.
The Two Wells resident has had a number of accolades awarded to him in 2009, the most notable of these the 2008 MTA-GTS Apprentice of the Year.
“I’ve always had an interest in the motor industry. My brother is a mechanic and I guess he got me into it a bit, but I really wanted to work on some bigger machinery,” Scott said.
Growing up just north of Adelaide on the Adelaide Plains, Scott finished year 12 and got his first job in harvest work, which lead to his interest in big machinery.
The youngest of three children, Scott learned about the MTA-GTS in a local advertisement, and the rest as they say is history.
Scott says the initial 10 week stint with the Group Training Scheme equipped him with the skills needed to be a valuable worker from day one on the job.
“The MTA prepared me really well for the workforce, encouraging me to be an enthusiastic worker.
“Especially in the first ten weeks of trade school at the MTA I gained a lot of knowledge and learnt the basics and I was able to build from there.”
Scott has spent his three years with host ETSA Utilities, working specifically in the Fleet Workshop.
“Its really good working at the Fleet Workshop they are a good bunch of blokes to work with and ETSA really looks after you.
“The thing that I like most about my work at ETSA is that it is very hands on and now that I am nearing the end of my apprenticeship I am enjoying the new responsibilities and challenges I am encountering,” Scott said.
Scott enjoys a diverse range of roles at ETSA including servicing and maintaining EWPs, cranes and mobile equipment. The Fleet Workshop also does major inspections on EWPs and cranes, where they will strip them down, rebuild and inspect the units.
Fleet Workshop Manager Brenton Giles says Scott is a valuable and well respected member of the team.
“Scott is a consistent high performer; he is an excellent apprentice in all aspects of the trade. Scott shows leadership qualities, is reliable, loyal, has a great mannerism and is a highly respected member of the ETSA Fleet Workshop Team.”
Scott, who is the captain of the Two Wells A Grade football side, was recognized at the ETSA Apprentice Awards night when he was presented with the “third year apprentice of the year.”
This significant achievement was made all the more noteworthy as Scott was the first apprentice to win the award outside of an electrical trade.
“I was pretty surprised when I found out that I was nominated for the ETSA third year apprentice of the year. I really didn’t think I would get it for just being a mechanic,” Scott said.
The surfing enthusiast found out that he had won the MTA Apprentice of the Year at work, and says that he was in total shock.
“I was just at work when I got a call from the MTA asking me what I was doing on this particular night, I told him ‘I had footy training’ and the fella said ‘it might be worth giving training a miss because I had won the Apprentice of the Year.’
“I was very surprised and told the guy on the phone, ‘I suppose I can miss training for that.’ Yeah I was pretty much just surprised when I found out about the award and pretty happy.”
While ecstatic with receiving the award Scott paid tribute and thanked those people who allowed him to be in the position that he was.
“I’d Just like to thank the MTA for the opportunity they have given me and the support in what has been one of the biggest descision in my life, to work in the motor industry.
“I would also like to thank Brenton for nominating for both of these awards.”
Scott hopes to continue his employment with ETSA once his apprenticeship is finished and is looking forward to a long and prosperous career in the motor industry.
Baas has Benz in his eyes
By Simon Trayhorn
At just 16, Nicholas Baas knew what he wanted to do with his life.
Growing up in the southern suburb of Willunga, Nic, as he prefers to be called, began taking a greater interest in cars and was soon introduced to a whole new world of possibilities.
While attending a career expo with school friends at Wayville Showgrounds, the young car enthusiast learned about the MTA’s Group Training Scheme (GTS), and he liked what he heard.
“The MTA-GTS was the only one worth doing,” he said. “I’d rather do on-the-job training than just sit in a classroom and that’s a big part of the scheme.”
After commencing his apprenticeship at the MTAGTS’s Royal Park facilities in 2003, Nic was impressed with the focus on intense preparation for workshop duties.
“One thing I did like is they give you 10 weeks of training straight up,” he said. “That gives you basically everything you need to know, so when you go into a workshop you don’t go in blind.”
Early in his apprenticeship, Nic was hosted at Wayne Phillis Ford. Cutting his teeth at Ford, Nic also took the opportunity to take part in the MTAGTS Motor Sport Repair team.
The Motor Sport Repair team gives MTA apprentices the chance to gain valuable work experience, by working on race cars at prestigious events such as the Classic Adelaide Rally and the Clipsal 500.
“That was great, a four day trip through he hills working on classic cars,” Nic said. “It was a great experience and I learned a lot while having some fun.”
Nic joined the Cruickshank Racing V8 Supercar team for the 2006 Clipsal 500, under the MTA Group Training Scheme V8 Supercar Work Experience Program.
Nic said the Clipsal 500 was an eye opening experience. “I didn’t realise the amount of preparation that went into the event,” he said. “It’s a whole different vibe in the pits than sitting in the stands.”
During the apprenticeship, Nic switched Ford for Mercedes when he joined BEA Motors Mercedes Benz at Mile End, fulfilling a desire to work in a prestige dealership.
“I want to become a diagnostic technician,” he said. “That’s the top Mercedes technician still working on the floor.
“You basically get all the jobs that no-one else can figure out. “You are working with brand new technology. “I did 90 per cent of my apprenticeship at a Ford-KIA dealership, which was good, but not as fast paced as I was looking for.
“Mercedes is more challenging, more up-to-date, with new systems and technology. “That’s what I enjoy working on.”
On May 27, Nic was rewarded for his efforts with
the MTA-GTS Apprentice of the Year award in front of more than 400 people attending a memorable night at AAMI Stadium.
Now living at O’Halloran Hill, Nic said he learned of his award after a letter was sent to his parent’s Willunga home.
“It was a bit of a mind blower,” he said. “My mail was still getting sent to my parents at the time.
“They said they had a letter from the MTA for me and I thought I was in trouble. “It was a nice pat on the back, a reward for all the hard work during my apprenticeship.”
Next for Nic was the 2007 Worldskills State Competition WorldSkills Australia gives competitors the chance to test themselves against the best in their chosen field, in competitions run throughout Australia and internationally.
Nick achieved gold in the South Australian Motor Mechanical category, where he was up against a highly competitive and skilled field of fellow apprentices.
Nic went on to finish fourth in the National Worldskills competition.