Leigh completed his secondary education at Southland Boys High School and then successfully applied to undertake the electrical pre apprenticeship course at the Southern Institute of Technology. The successful completion of the pre apprenticeship course significantly reduced the length of time taken to complete the Level 4 National Certificate in Electrical Engineering.

In mid 2004 Leigh was offered an apprenticeship with Southern Group Training and is currently on placement with the Alliance Group Lorneville.

While most apprentices spend their apprenticeship with one host company Southern Group Training has the ability to place an apprentice with another host company if the original host has insufficient ongoing work, or is unable to provide training in all the unit standards required to enable the apprentice to complete his qualification.

While the Alliance Group is Leigh’s primary host company for his practical on job training, during the course of his apprenticeship Southern Group Training will place Leigh with several secondary host companies to enable him to complete the full range of commercial and domestic electrical unit standards required to complete his Level 4 National Certificate