After completing his secondary schooling at James Hargest College Selwyn successfully applied to undertake the engineering pre apprenticeship course at the Southern Institute of Technology. At the completion of the course in late 2003 Selwyn was offered an apprenticeship with Southern Group Training and has been placed on secondment with New Zealand Aluminium Smelters Ltd.

During the pre apprenticeship course students cover various health and safety requirements including first aid, safe use of hand tools and safe use of power tools all of which enables them to be safer in the workplace. They are also trained in the Level 2 unit standard requirements of their apprenticeship qualification which enables the student to be more useful in the workplace from the very beginning of their apprenticeship.

Employers prefer to employ people with a good understanding of the health and safety issues in the workplace and who are able to be useful from day one. The pre apprenticeship course also allows the student to demonstrate a good work ethic and an understanding of the need to be able to develop and maintain good timekeeping skills.