While in the sixth form at James Hargest College Brett, having an open mind on what career path to pursue, attended a Trade Career Open Evening at the Southern Institute of Technology. He had a look at the various trades on offer, spoke to the various tutors, and decided that the automotive industry had real appeal.

Brett finished sixth form and, while doing so, spent a week of his school holidays doing the equivalent of an Automotive STAR programme at S.I.T. At the end of the week Brett was sold on the automotive industry as the career path for him. He enrolled in the pre trade heavy automotive course at S.I.T in 2001 and, at the completion of the programme, was offered employment as an apprentice with Invercargill Truck Servicing Ltd, one of the two companies he had had work experience with while doing his pre trade course.

Brett has persevered with his off job theory study and recently passed his National Registration and National A Grade exams