After completing his secondary schooling at Southland Boys High School Hayden successfully applied to undertake the engineering pre apprenticeship course at the Southern Institute of Technology. In 2007 he was offered a Modern Apprenticeship with Gough Bros Engineering.

As a Modern Apprentice Hayden has his own Modern Apprenticeship Coordinator who has developed an individual Training Plan for him which sets realistic goals and timeframes to achieve them in. Southern Group Training is the Modern Apprenticeship service provider for the engineering industry in Southland and provides a Coordinator who meets with Hayden on a regular basis and is available as a mentor to both Hayden and his supervisor.

To complete the Level 4 National Certificate in Engineering Hayden must complete a range of unit standards comprising both theory and practical elements.

Hayden’s off job theory training has been provided by S.I.T through his attendance at weekly evening class and through a three week block course each year. Regular attendance at evening class is needed if apprentices are to keep up with their theory work. Competency in each of the theory work books is required before workplace assessments can be undertaken.