NEWS
More apprentices in the south
SOUTH ISLAND COMPANY Transport Repairs Ltd (TRL) has recruited 11 new apprentices for its 2023 intake. Andy Reid, Training and Apprentice Manager for TRL says the latest intake means 30 young people have joined the industry through the TRL programme in the last three years. Several years ago TRL noticed a shift change in the quality and quantity of mechanics in New Zealand. The workforce was aging, with many older mechanics coming off the tools due to the very physical nature of the job and many were reaching retirement age.
The management of TRL recognised the issue and committed to a programme of recruitment and training so they could secure the company’s future but also ensure young staff were trained to standard they were happy with. Given the company’s reputation for quality and reliability, the word spread quickly and applications flooded in. In the last three years there were over 700 applications and Andy had to develop a system of filtering and interviewing to ensure they captured the right balance of intelligence but also aptitude for their roles. Modern interviewing tools has TRL has welcomed 11 new apprentices in 2023.
ensured TRL has met the very best and has had the luxury of picking the top few of these people. The intake kicks off with a week-long programme at the TRL Gore Training facility with classroom and workshop sessions in aspects such as Health & Safety and First Aid basics. Recruits are also given an understanding of TRLs history, its relationships with its key suppliers and understanding how the industry makes money. Other training is specific to how the apprentice training scheme works, the TRL tool programme as well as addresses from the general manager and key suppliers. The week ends with a visit to HWR Transport World in Invercargill. General Manager Tony Marriott says it’s an important week when new apprentices are welcomed into the business. “I get an opportunity to meet them and we always take the class photo which adds to the heritage of TRL and they can look back on this in a few years when they qualify and reflect on the importance of that week. “This year we had young men from Blenheim, Christchurch, Dunedin, Cromwell and Invercargill attend and I fully expect a couple of them will one day be leading one of our key branches, such is the quality of this group,” says Tony. TRL operates in seven South Island locations – Blenheim, Dunedin, Gore, Cromwell, Invercargill and from Templeton and Bromley in Christchurch. T&D
Nine round European series A NEW EVENT IN POLAND HAS SEEN THE GOODYEAR FIA European Truck Racing Championship expanded to nine rounds in 2023. The 4.08km Tor Poznan circuit in west-central Poland is the new addition to the calendar, joining the eight venues that comprised the 2022 championship won by Hungarian driver Nobert Kiss from the Revesz Racing MAN team. The 2023 series begins at the Misano circuit in Italy on May20-21 and then visits the Hungaroring ( June 3-4) and the Slovakia Ring ( June 10-11) before Poland joins the calendar on June 24-25. Nurburgring in Germany hosts round five ( July 15-16) before a midsummer break. The series resumes on August 26-27 at Most in the Czech Republic and the last three rounds are at Zolder (Belgium) on September 9-10, Le Mans (France) on September 23-24 and the Jarama circuit in Spain once again hosts the finale on the Sept 30-Oct 1 weekend. T&D 22 | Truck & Driver
The European Truck Racing Championship begins in May.
