Record number of Apprentices line up for National Challenge

A record number of apprentices from across Australia have been nominated for a chance to compete at the HVIA National Apprentice Challenge to be held at the 2019 Brisbane Truck Show in May.

Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia Chief Executive Todd Hacking says the response is testimony to the emerging talent coming into the heavy vehicle industry. 

“The response to the 2019 National Apprentice Challenge has been exceptional, with a total of seventy nominations received from 2nd, 3rd and 4th year apprentices, Australia-wide,” Mr Hacking said.

“These young people are at the beginning of a journey that will open doors to hugely rewarding career paths with Australian and international companies involved in the manufacture, distribution and support of trucks, trailers and their components. 

“Right now, these talented young people have to compete for the honour of representing their region; two apprentices from each of our three regions will be selected to come to the Brisbane Truck Show where we stage the live competition.

“The successful apprentices will secure an all-expenses-paid trip to the 2019 Brisbane Truck Show for the four days.

“Competing teams will receive tool prizes provided by Warby Tools with the winning team hosted by our major competition sponsor NTI Truck Assist, to the Gold Coast 600 Supercars Championship event in October.”

The selected regional teams will compete in heats for the first three days of the event. As the clock ticks, their goal is to identify and rectify a series of programmed faults on identical trucks, this year generously supplied by Iveco Trucks Australia. 

The top two teams from the heats will go head-to-head in the final on day four of the Truck Show.

The event is being coordinated by former HVIA Director Chris Musch, who will now oversee the selection process.

“To determine the final teams all nominees will sit a two-hour online test, set and graded by TAFE Queensland SkillsTech,” Mr Musch said. 

“The two apprentices with the best results in the exam from each region will form the team for their region. 

“The teams will represent the Eastern Region, comprising apprentices from Queensland, New South Wales and the ACT; Southern Region representing Victoria, Tasmania & South Australia, and the North-Western Region from Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

Mr Musch knows first-hand how far an apprentice’s career can go.

“I started in this great industry as an apprentice when I was fifteen, just like our nominees,” he said. “It has given me opportunities to work in many different sectors of the industry, both here in Australia and overseas, from the shop floor and into different levels of management.” 

“It is also important to acknowledge the companies that invest in these young people and the industry’s future.” He added. “Congratulations to all of them for nominating their apprentices into this year’s Challenge.

“Always a leader in this space, Cummins South Pacific have nominated an outstanding twenty-two apprentices from branches across Australia.”

Full details about the HVIA National Apprentice Challenge and all events being held within and around the 2019 Brisbane Truck Show, can be found at www.brisbanetruckshow.com.au