Matthew Cole is an outstanding apprentice who has the ability to go far in his chosen career path of engineering. He has both the academic and practical ability as well as being an extremely personable young man. Matthew evaluated the various career training options in engineering and chose the apprenticeship pathway for the valuable practical skills and knowledge it would provide.

Matthew was an outstanding student during his pre trade engineering course at the Southern Institute of Technology and was employed by Southern Group Training which placed him on secondment with NZAS. Matthew has continued to apply himself to his studies with a view to completing his apprenticeship in the optimum timeframe and is on track to do so.

In 2004 Matthew entered the Otago Southland SkillEX competition in the Engineering Welding Section which he won. He went on to represent Otago Southland in the National Final held in Auckland and won a silver medal.