Josh completed his secondary schooling at South Otago High School he secured employment in an engineering workshop in Balclutha. Having demonstrated a genuine interest and aptitude for engineering Josh was offered an apprenticeship with Southern Group Training on secondment to Edwards Engineering.

The practical elements of Josh’s qualification are taught on the job and through annual three weekly block courses at the Southern Institute of Technology. The theory elements are taught through distance learning (correspondence) and require a good level of self motivation and discipline to achieve them on a regular basis.

Once Josh has completed the theory assessment for a unit standard he is then able to be assessed in the practical elements. To achieve practical competency Josh has to be able to complete the required practical tasks consistently well, unsupervised, in a commercial timeframe, using safe work practices.

Josh’s Training Manager is a qualified workplace assessor and is able to undertake regular workplace assessments of Josh’s work. It is the apprentice’s responsibility to be well prepared for the assessment of each unit standard.