Management
Spreading the load to minimise the problems
Total Productive Maintenance is an approach aimed at creating a production environment free from mechanical breakdowns and technical disruptions. It is achieved by the introduction of systemised methods to improve the mechanical and human aspects of production in order to maximise equipment effectiveness.
The Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) approach was introduced as part of the Toyota production system in the 1960s and has been an integral part of the success of Toyota and many other world class organisations since then.
One of the key concepts of TPM is that the maintenance of production is not the sole responsibility of the maintenance department, but requires a fully cross-functional approach.
Many organisations still have the philosophy "I run it, you fix it," or "I'm manufacturing, you're maintenance".
The older the company, the more deeply rooted this mind-set generally is and the more difficult it is to change. In world-class plants the operator becomes the asset owner, the focus for routine maintenance and the central figure in overall equipment effectiveness.
Autonomous (or operator) maintenance is a key component of TPM and is geared towards developing operators to perform certain equipment maintenance activities with full autonomy. The focus of the autonomous maintenance is on cleaning, inspecting, lubricating, monitoring and other such essential daily tasks traditionally within the domain of the maintenance department.
A large proportion of all equipment failure can be avoided by the simple steps of cleaning and inspection, correct lubrication and checking for loose parts. If we could follow these three simple steps every day on every piece of plant and equipment we could eliminate an awful lot of failures.
The reality is that we simply don’t have the time to carry out this basic level of maintenance.
However, if the operator carried out these tasks every day, it will lead to creation of a sense of ownership by the operator and less interruptions in operations. Effectively, this can eliminate defects at source through active employee participation.
So, if TPM and autonomous maintenance are so good, why isn’t everyone doing it and how do we get started?
Like all improvement plans, the results can be great but implementation isn’t without challenges.
First and foremost there has to be a full buy-in by senior management and they have to make the entire organisation know it’s something that is going to happen.
There also has to be training, as many of the concepts and tools can go against the grain of the traditional roles of maintainers and operators. Once we have management commitment and training then we can start to plan the implementation.
Ultimately for TPM, or for that matter, most other improvement programmes, to be effective it requires a shift in culture within the workplace. It isn’t possible however to simply change a culture. We must change the environment, which will change people’s behaviour, which in turn will lead to a change in culture.
This can be achieved only by systematically and consistently applying the individual tools within the TPM programme, leading to sustainable improvements to equipment effectiveness.
By Phil Hurford
Manager
Skills4Work Maintenance Training Centre
Tel: 027 488 6446
Email: P [dot] hurford [at] skills4work [dot] org [dot] nz
Head south if you are looking for work
Hiring intentions in the South Island are at an eight-year high, according to the latest Hudson report on employment and human resources trends. A little more than 40 percent of employers in the region intend to increase permanent staff numbers in the first quarter of 2012 - more than double the national average.
The Treasury has predicted that the influx of government and insurance money will contribute to an economic rebuild to the Canterbury area that is now likely to be larger and longer lived than previously thought.
Across the rest of New Zealand, 18 percent of employers are planning to increase their net permanent headcount between January and March this year, which is down 4.6 percentage points (pp) on last quarter, and down 6.4pp compared to the same time last year.
“While this represents a relatively sizeable change in net sentiment, many employers are considering the potential impact of external factors, like recent events in Europe, and carefully assessing their current talent pool before taking on new hires,” says executive general manager of Hudson New Zealand, Roman Rogers.
Net sentiment is the net effect figure calculated by taking the percentage of employers surveyed that expect to increase permanent staff levels, or their contracting/temporary workforce, during the forthcoming three months and subtracting the percentage of employers surveyed that expect to decrease staff levels.
“Nearly two-thirds of employers are planning to hold their staff levels steady. We’re seeing a strong focus on driving productivity and performance among existing employees complemented by strategic hires of high performers,” says Mr Rogers.
“We expect high demand in certain roles, such as project managers in the construction and IT sectors as well as for customer facing IT specialists.
“In a turbulent economic climate, the cost of a bad hire is crippling. It is essential that employers have a robust process in place to rigorously assess and secure the best people for their businesses,” says Mr Rogers.
Nationally, information technology is the most confident sector with a positive sentiment of 43.4 percent.
The telecommunications sector is increasingly buoyant, up 6.4 percent year on year to 32.4 percent this quarter, coinciding with structural changes in some of our biggest organisations, as well as the increasing momentum of the ultra-fast broadband roll-out.
The combined construction, property and engineering industry is the second most confident sector at 36.4 percent, propelled by the Canterbury rebuild.
Following the general election, net sentiment in the government sector has increased strongly from last quarter, up 7.1 percentage points to nine percent but down two percent the corresponding period last year.
It remains to be seen whether the National Government’s commitment to a "sinking lid" on full-time employees will eventuate.
Sentiment in the financial services/insurance industry has slipped 11.7 percentage points to a net 11.2 percent following continued volatility in overseas financial markets and increasingly difficult access for New Zealand banks to offshore debt markets.
The hiring intentions in the manufacturing, education and FMCG sectors are also down on last quarter.
In contrast to a big increase last quarter, employer confidence among small businesses (fewer than 20 employees) has slipped 16.7 percentage points to a net 16 percent.
Almost three-quarters of these businesses intend to keep headcount steady during the forthcoming quarter.
“This change in employer confidence from small businesses reflects general consumer confidence with people adopting a ‘wait and see’ attitude at the beginning of the new year in light of volatility on global financial markets and Australia and China’s economic performance,” says Mr Rogers.
The hidden talent of Kiwi engineers
New Zealand Trade and Enterprise chief executive Peter Chrisp says this year’s finalists in the 2012 New Zealand International Business Awards are using the country’s world class technology, reputation and skills to develop high value brands and push out into new markets.
"These are ambitious, internationally focused businesses that New Zealanders should be proud of."
Bryn Thompson is among the 27 finalists in the business awards, the results of which will be announced on March 21.
The indefatigable chief executive of Metalcraft Engineering in Christchurch is a finalist for the emerging international business leader award category.
Bryn heads the sales and design team in the company he founded with wife Samantha in 1991, working in six time zones throughout the day. In the difficult six months following the September earthquake, Bryn flew 144,000km internationally to assure customers Metalcraft remained a viable business partner.
He works 70-hour weeks and staff don't rush to join him on overseas trips to promote the export brand of the company - The Glass Racking Company.
They recite stories of nightmare work trips where Bryn rarely sleeps and always makes time for additional customer contact. All office staff have a printed copy of a vision statement about a “humungous dream” and an “outrageous vision”.
He admits to being "bloody minded, demanding and extremely customer focused - I just wants to get things done.
"As new international markets open for us, it allows me to learn more about that country and what product fits, and what best support our New Zealand partners will need.
"We are very much about locals selling to locals, and many of our offshore customers are not aware I head the company from Christchurch, New Zealand.
"I'm proud that we have stayed a Canterbury company so we can support our key suppliers within the region. The award also helps recognise the work that the other directors and staff do, as it allows me to concentrate on the export markets and grow and support our offshore partners and customers.
On the way to international success the company was strengthened with cornerstone shareholders and directors Warwick Styles and Ian Barker.
As well as Christchurch the company has a presence in Auckland, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, Brisbane, Seattle and Vancouver-St Helens.
Bryn says much of the work he does offshore goes unseen to many.
"After more than 20 years of business it is nice to have others recognise the work you do to help New Zealand grow as a brand," he says.
"Over the past four years it has been very hard with the volatile dollar, global meltdown, earthquakes and other world disasters - I am looking forward to 2012 as a growing year and a settling year both in Christchurch and our world markets. We are on track to form four new export partnerships in 2012 and strengthen our current New Zealand and offshore partnerships.
For more information, visit: www.theglassrackingcompany.com and www.metalcraft.co.nz
Buckley Systems Ltd
Bill Buckley established the engineering manufacturing company in 1986 and today its magnets are used to produce over 80 percent of the world’s silicon chips. The company’s products are used to manufacture flat-screen televisions, smart-phones including the world-leading iPhone, and solar panels.
Buckley Systems produce world-leading nuclear physics equipment for some of the world’s most recognisable brands, such as LG, Panasonic, Apple, Hitachi and Mitsubishi.
There are offices in Auckland and Boston and the company employs more than 260 staff. On average 10 smaller companies are working on Buckley Systems projects at any one time, contributing about 120 jobs to the Auckland area.
The company is a finalist in the over $50 million best business operating internationally category, with a turnover of $69 million which it expects will grow 41 percent in the next two years.
Every month, the company uses 500 tons of steel, 45 tons of aluminium and 16 tons of copper.
Chief executive Mike Lightfoot says the company places extreme importance on product quality and employs a dedicated quality assurance team to constantly monitor production.
“We have engaged and retained technical experts with leading knowledge and skill sets in engineering disciplines integral to the manufacture of electromagnets,” Mr Lightfoot says.
Buckley Systems works with universities around the world to find new uses for magnetic technology. It recently worked with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on a medical magnet project and is also moving into the medical realm with work on proton and photon therapy as a cancer treatment.
The company is also starting to work in security, with the development of powerful magnetic scanners.
SKOPE Industries
Family-owned SKOPE Industries has developed an international reputation for innovation in heating and refrigeration technologies and is a finalist for best business with revenues over $50 million.
From the day the company was launched 45 years ago, the intention was to build a high-quality brand supported by innovative design and manufacturing excellence.
From that vision has grown a company that now employs 415 people in a combined research, design and production plant in Christchurch and a team of 18 sales staff across Australasia.
Managing director Guy Stewart says SKOPE’s range of products includes commercial refrigeration appliances used by corporate beverage companies in the soft drink, dairy and alcohol industries, food service refrigeration for front and back of house in bars, restaurants, cafes and food service industries and heating products.
Backing this up is SKOPE Services, a financial and logistics company providing leasing options for corporate beverage companies.
SKOPE boasts the largest design and innovation centre of its kind in Australasia but beyond design and manufacture, Mr Stewart says his family business seeks to build strategic relationships with global leaders in supply. These would include companies such as Haier in commercial refrigeration and Muller in heating, and with leading companies on the demand side of the business, such as Coca Cola Amatil.
These strategic relationships ensure SKOPE is constantly exposed to current refrigeration market issues.
The focus on meeting customers’ needs with cutting edge technology has resulted in high export-based returns.
In the year ended June 2010, 30 percent of SKOPE’s revenue was generated through new product development and nearly 100 percent of this revenue was earned overseas.
In the 2011 financial year, 80 percent of SKOPE’s products were exported, with international revenue of $66.5 million from total revenue of $83.8 million.
Keeping good staff
By Romy Udanga
Make managers responsible – separate employee engagement and development from the HR department.
Focus on recruiting and engaging the right staff, rather than just the right skills, is one way to get ahead during the skills shortages experienced in the engineering sector, says award winning tool maker and engineering and construction company Hilti Australia and New Zealand (Hilti ANZ).
Hilti is a multinational company which operates in the civil, structural, maintenance and mining engineering sectors in New Zealand and Australia.
The company employs 20,000 staff in 120 countries, including about 40 in New Zealand and 270 in Australia.
Australia and New Zealand managing director Jan Pacas says that plans for growth amid the chronic skills shortages facing the resources and engineering industries are underpinned by forward–thinking HR strategies.
"Demand is very, very much greater than supply in the engineering and resources sectors, and the mobility of workers and salary differential between New Zealand and Australia is adding to the skills shortage.
"Engineering people have many options where to work – in the resource sector, in energy, in mining. If you are qualified in New Zealand, then you are qualified to work in Australia – and get better salaries working on resource projects."
Although many companies need to fill vacancies now, the industry needs to take a longer view on dealing with the skills shortage, he said.
In the absence of qualified workers, "taking on under–skilled workers who have the right attitude is a strategy that has worked well and could be applied across the sector," Mr Pacas says.
Attitude and commitment to the company are things that can't be taught. Companies should focus on "people who are the right cultural fit and be happy to teach skills, industry and product knowledge to new employees from careers completely removed from construction and engineering, and bring them up to speed on the job."
He says this might lengthen the recruitment process a little, "but we have found it pays off".
Hilti has an ambitious goal of double growth in New Zealand and Australia by 2015, and will be using this strategy to meet it.
"Engineers are all very intelligent people so you need to offer more than a normal job, not just remuneration. What we can do is offer a very interesting career path."
Mr Pacas says that in many instances, quality daily interaction and other non–monetary considerations "often override financial compensation".
It translates to the company's culture, he says.
For example, employees have great expectations from their managers, and the direct report has very great impact on every employee's satisfaction.
"You can have a great resource or engineering company, but if the manager is disrespectful, not listening, not inspiring, not knowing their people's aspirations, then, employees will seek out other options.
"You can provide a competitive package but very often employees leave because of the boss."
He said engagement is not delegatable and has to be owned and embraced by every manager, and at Hilti, they've separated employee engagement and development from the HR department, and assigned this responsibility to managers.
"We found that by making engagement and development part of everyday activity, everyone began to really feel it, and live it; and productivity benefited as a direct result."
Knowledge generation and contribution to knowledge sharing is another key, he said. Information exchange is intellectually very stimulating and very interesting and employers should provide an avenue for that.
"It's really this daily culture that we live at Hilti that creates highly engaged staff and one reason why we won the award," Mr Pacas said.
"At Hilti we have long–recognised the importance of employee engagement, and understand that people and results go hand–in–hand."
The company has an overarching program of performance and reward programs with luxury trips for prizes. However, Mr Pacas said, if an employee is not supported and engaged, no reward program is going to make a difference."
Skilled migrants fill labour gap in engineering sector
The skills shortage is real, but often by the time employers look at the option of skilled migrant placement, it becomes a panic buy. Staff Solutions has been filling the skills shortage in the engineering industry by scouring the international market and placing appropriate candidates where they are needed.
Getting the right person to fill skilled positions is one of the challenges engineering companies face and will continue to do so should they wish to attain growth in the future.
Competenz, has indicated that some 2470 fabricators, tradesmen, welders and engineers – some 35 percent of the skills required by the industry – are needed to be employed now. And that number is set to grow by a further 2540 workers in 2012 and 2013.
The biggest shortage is for fabricators. There are at present 444 fabrication apprentices in training, with just under 150 new apprentices entering the trade on average yearly. The industry has said it needs 1412 more fabricators in the next two years, and completing a trade qualification takes up to four years.
Employers don’t have to “panic buy” if they approach the skills shortage challenge in the right manner, say Gavin and Sue Smith, owners and operators of Warkworth-based Staff Solutions Ltd.
They have been successfully screening and placing skilled migrant candidates in the last six years, based not only on skills and expertise but personalities, core values and attitudes.
“Often by the time employers look at the option of skilled migrant placement it is a panic buy because all other avenues of recruitment have been exhausted and they will just about take anyone,” Sue says.
“We’ve been helping companies avoid making huge recruitment errors by recruiting staff with the required skills based on the specific needs of their company.”
Gavin says successfully screened and placed candidates easily become part of a team, loyal staff and have a desire to aid corporate success.
“The companies have a high retention rate, can advance their business activities, appreciate their staff which directly influences performance, and managers do not need to spend precious time overseeing recruitment,” he says.
Gavin is a fitter welder with a broad range of engineering experience. In the recruitment process, he discusses each company’s specific staffing requirements, identifies company goals and assists companies to manage future challenges.
Steve Milham, director of Amtec Engineering in New Plymouth says Staff Solutions “does not only provide qualified candidates that make a good start in New Zealand but they also see to it that the candidates settle well in their new environment”.
Amtec employs five fitter welders recruited four years ago through Staff Solutions and have several candidates with their applications in at Immigration NZ awaiting visas due to the recent skill shortages.
“They did not only help us with our process but they made sure the candidates settled well. They arranged their flight bookings and rental accommodation and even assisted with their IRD applications and bank details – something other recruitment companies just don’t do,” Steve says.
Staff Solutions provides staff with skills that are not readily acquired in smaller New Zealand engineering workshops, like aluminum ship building, ship and oil rig construction and structural steel fabrication and welding.
It has an office in Singapore, and a business partner who is a qualified welding inspector/engineering professional experienced in manufacturing and is responsible for interviewing, vetting, reference checking and skill testing.
Sue says Staff Solutions places candidates with at least five years of experience in similar industries from other countries.
“This means welding candidates, for example, have already obtained a high level of skills, experience and internationally recognized qualifications in areas like ABS, ASME 1X, X-ray and Ultra sound quality welding.
“They have experience with fabrication and welding of military ships, patrol craft, oil and petrochemical industries, oil rig construction and pipe work in refineries – all requiring a high standard of expertise.
“They have manufacturing skills, like micro-robotic electron welding of jet turbines, obtained in the computer manufacturing, vehicle and the aeronautical industries for the US and European markets, and aluminum TIG welding to pharmaceutical standards.”
CNC operators and programmers, CAD draughtsman, sheet metal workers and structural steel fabricators are readily available for placement, she says.
Staff Solutions does not charge employers for its service because candidates pay it to ensure they are placed in bonafide New Zealand companies, the position description meets their skills and that the employment contracts are correct.
For more information:
Staff Solutions
Ph: 09 422 9099
Mobile: 027 3740302
Visit: www.staffsolutions.co.nz
Tokoroa community benefits from skills training initiative
Barbara Reynolds of ATC Professional, centre, leads a training exercise with Ernest Appel (left) and Mark Herdman, both from IVE Group.
Hamilton-based training provider ATC Professional has initiated a cost and time effective approach to professional development, bringing their training to the people in Tokoroa to upskill engineering sector employees in first line management.
ATC are collaborating with a number of Tokoroa companies and their employees to deliver in-house training, removing or minimising many of the barriers employers often cite when looking at training options for their employees.
"The cost of training, when coupled with the cost of travel, accommodation and work cover for employees to attend the training, can be prohibitive," says ATC professional manager, Glenda Hamilton.
"By bringing the training to learners from multiple companies within this region, we’ve been able to successfully rollout this professional development programme to a community as well as local business."
Currently ATC is working with a collective of learners from IVE Group, South Waikato Precision Engineering Ltd, and Hulster Engineering Co Ltd to deliver first line management training, which is subsidised by Competenz the industry training organisation for the mechanical engineering sector.
"Work-based projects also form a key part of the training, enabling learners to apply their new knowledge and skills in their everyday work environment," says Glenda.
"It’s then that the return on investment becomes clear to employers - when employees understand their roles and business processes better, it really lifts team morale, communication, and productivity."
Topics covered in the programme include leadership, communication, personal development, problem solving, change management, managing work, managing organisations, and building teams.
ATC New Zealand have campuses in Hamilton, Auckland, and Christchurch, and are open to creating training opportunities to benefit communities and businesses within these wider regions.
For more information, contact:
Glenda Hamilton
ATC Professional, Hamilton
Tel: 07 853 0770
E-mail: glenda [dot] h [at] atc [dot] org [dot] nz
Health and safety training pays off in spades
Everyone embraced the training, from our longest-serving employee through to newer team members. Since the completeion of training the company has not experienced a single loss-time injury.
A total of 42 employees at Industrial Tube Manufacturing were recently awarded their Level 1 Occupational Health and Safety national certificates at a graduation ceremony organised by and hosted at the company’s Hamilton site.
Since their employees completed the workplace health and safety training over three months ago, the company has not experienced a single loss-time injury (LTI) – a result that speaks for itself, according to training manager, Ian Foster.
"That’s a really significant achievement showing just how well we’ve all taken to the training and applied it to our everyday work," says Ian.
Industrial Tube’s culture is centered on a commitment to every team members’ professional and personal development, and the benefits of the skills training they’re engaged in at every level of the business is already evident.
In addition, most of the graduates are now halfway through the next step up in their training, working toward their Level 2 National Certificate in Manufacturing Core Skills.
"Everyone has embraced the training, from our longest-serving employee through to our newer team members, and it’s the first qualification many have achieved since leaving high school," says the company’s factory manager, Trevor Collins.
"There’s a noticeable difference in our team’s confidence; more people are now more eager to voice their own ideas on how to improve their work and our business processes."
The management team has been working closely with Competenz account manager, John Crombie, to plan and roll-out a training ‘pathway’ that will gradually boost both the skill capabilities of their people and business outcomes for the company.
"The management team here is really driven to see every employee and their business succeed through ongoing skills training," says John.
"The results to date bode well for continued business improvements and a happy, more highly-skilled team."
For more information, contact:
Trevor Collins
Tel: 07 847 5333
E-mail: Trevor [at] steeltube [dot] co [dot] nz
Visit: www.steeltube.co.nz
Stevenson Group highly commended for skills training
Auckland company Stevenson Group has taken away a highly commended award in the Skills Highway Award category of the 2011 Equal Employment Opportunities Trust (EEO Trust) Work and Life Awards.
Department of Labour deputy chief executive for policy and research Jeremy Corban (right) presents a Skills Highway certificate to Stevenson Group chief executive Mark Franklin at the 2011 Equal Employment Opportunities Trust Work and Life Awards.
The award recognises employers who successfully boosted employees’ reading, writing, maths and communications skills with workplace literacy training.
Sponsored by the Department of Labour, it is one of six award categories within the annual EEO Trust Work and Life Awards announced in late August.
Stevenson Group chief executive Mark Franklin is delighted with the award.
"To come this far so early in our journey gives us a lot of pride – and a lot of impetus to keep going with what we’ve started."
Stevenson is a 100-year-old family-owned business that provides services and products to the quarrying, mining, construction, engineering and infrastructure sectors.
In 2010, the company ran its first-ever, five-day literacy course for 53 workers. This year, it rolled out the same course to another 50 employees.
Provided by The Learning Wave, the course takes a broad view of literacy, focusing on everything from problem solving, critical thinking, reading, writing and maths to self-awareness, physical health and relationships.
"Every company will do it differently. But we see this approach as the best option for us. In today’s world, all these things are fundamental to life. You need them all to live and work well," says Mr Franklin.
The company pays staff to attend in company time, offering training to quarry workers, supervisors, machine operators, apprentices, engineers and truck drivers.
Mr Franklin makes it clear to everyone that he backs the training 100 percent.
Stevenson managers and supervisors say teamwork and communication continues to improve.
Employees are more confident, they question and solve problems more readily and relate better to their colleagues.
Mr Franklin believes it’s a mistake to see literacy training as simply about improving literacy and numeracy skills and nothing else – it can boost business productivity too, he says.
"We’re like any ambitious company. All our people need the ability to communicate confidently with each other, work as part of a team and keep their mates safe on the job. They also need the skills to deal with the necessary paperwork and instructions required for their roles.
"With these things sorted, they are more productive. They are better able to adapt to change, avoid potentially dangerous situations and learn new skills and practices," he says.
Jeremy Corban, head of policy and research at the Department of Labour, says: "We can learn a lot from what Stevenson Group has achieved from their approach to literacy training. I encourage other large, well-established firms striving to achieve high standards to follow their lead."
For more on the Skills Highway Award and workplace literacy training, visit the Department’s Skills Highway website:
www.skillshighway.govt.nz/eeo
Experience counts towards getting qualified – do it
When Marc Tai left secondary school in Tokoroa several years ago, he walked straight into a job with a local engineering company and has never looked back.
He has now been working in the engineering trade for well over 10 years but until recently had no formal trade qualification to show for it.
It’s a factor that bothered Marc personally, but also impacted his ability to earn to his full potential.
“Before I started my apprenticeship I thought I knew quite a lot about fabrication and welding but I was wrong – I learnt a lot along the way,” he says.
Marc started an apprenticeship when he was younger, but lacked the level of support he needed to complete the qualification.
However, in April of this year, he completed his Level 4 National Certificate in Engineering, specialising in heavy fabrication – an achievement of which he is very proud.
Marc says that part of him wishes he had completed his apprenticeship a lot earlier as he would have greatly benefitted from the recognition and skills gained at that stage in his career.
He has no regrets though, and is just glad he finally has a qualification that acknowledges his years of experience within this industry.
“I realised that time was running out, and I felt like I needed to have my skills and experience recognised for me to progress in my career,” says Marc.
“It’s absolutely true that being qualified gives tradespeople more credibility in the industry – not to mention more pay.”
And while he did work, Marc took a temporary pay cut in order to complete his apprenticeship.
He completed his heavy fabrication apprenticeship at Stevenson Engineering, his current employer and a leading provider of equipment and heavy engineering solutions for the mining and construction industries with over 400 pieces of mobile and plant equipment.
“The support from my employer has been great – they really helped motivate and push me through my qualification.
“Working in the weld division and interacting with our company’s other divisions from time to time gives me huge work variety.
“One week I could be in our workshop fabricating one-off items, the next I might be travelling off-site to repair and maintain machines and equipment at mines and quarries we service around New Zealand,” says Marc.
His apprenticeship took three and a half years to complete, and was managed by Apprentice Training New Zealand, or ATNZ – the country’s largest employer of mechanical engineering apprentices.
Marc was supported throughout his training by Competenz Account Manager, Peter Briton, whose role is to guide apprentices through their training and ensure that they stay on track to complete on time.
“Completing an apprenticeship is challenging,” says Marc, “but I am glad I didn’t take any shortcuts and miss out on any valuable learning experiences.”
In hindsight, Marc believes that maths is a key subject students need to pay particular attention to at school if they wish to work in the engineering industry.
And Marc would strongly recommend to anyone considering an apprenticeship to take the plunge today, as there is far more to gain from qualifying now, rather than later.
He’s the first to admit he’s now hooked on learning, and he recently enrolled to complete his Level 5 National Certificate in Engineering – Fabrication to advance his trade and business skills.
“At Stevenson Engineering they do encourage us to develop and grow our skills, and I’m really grateful for their continued support to help me go even further.”
If you are like Marc and are skilled and experienced in your trade, but hold no formal trade qualification, Assessment of Prior Learning (APL) is designed for you. APL allows you to demonstrate your knowledge through assessment, so that you can gain a qualification.
For more information on mechanical engineering apprenticeships or APL to get trade qualified, contact Competenz on 0800 526 1800
or visit www.competenz.org.nz
