Allan Paterson – Apprentice Profile General Engineering

Allan completed his secondary education at Southland Boys High School and worked at Geo Wilson & Sons Ltd before, in early 2008, being promoted into an apprenticeship with Southern Group Training on secondment with Geo Wilson & Sons Ltd.

An apprenticeship offers Allan the opportunity to gain a tertiary qualification at Level 4 without needing to take on a student debt. Apprentices are paid as they learn. Southern Group Training, as employer, pays for all Allan's training fees.

Southern Group Training also provides apprentices with an interest free tool loan to enable them to have a basic toolkit of their own from the beginning of their apprenticeship.

This means that the apprentice does not have to save up for each tool but has the basics of the required tool kit on hand. This also means that the apprentice does not need to borrow other trades people's tools to complete the tasks at hand.

Apprentices are provided with their own personal protective equipment which is replaced on a regular basis.

Jason Payne – Apprentice Engineer

After leaving South Otago High School, Jason began work in an engineering company where he gained a useful insight into the work routine. This work experience enabled Jason to make an informed decision that engineering is the career path for him. While in the workforce his employer was able to assess Jason's suitability for an apprenticeship.

Jason has been offered a maintenance and diagnostics engineering apprenticeship employed through Southern Group Training as his previous employer preferred to leave the employment and management of apprentices to Southern Group Training.

Jason has his own Training Manager who has developed an individual training plan for him which sets realistic goals and timeframes to achieve them in. His Training Manager meets with Jason on a regular basis and is available as a mentor to both Jason and his supervisor.

The theory elements of Jason's qualification are being covered through distance learning which means that Jason will need to develop and maintain a good study programme to ensure that he makes good steady progress through the theory introductions of his Level 4 National Certificate.

Josh Botting – Heavy Fabrication Engineer

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.