8 minute read
Celebrating Excellence
by Boylen
MTA's 2023 Automotive Awards and Graduation Ceremony
The MTA’s 2023 Automotive Graduation and Awards Ceremony was a celebration of the automotive industry's bright future, with a remarkable turnout of more than 400 attendees, marking the largest gathering in its history.
Among the evening's highlights was the well-deserved recognition of Samuel White as the recipient of the prestigious 2023 Apprentice of the Year award, marking an outstanding achievement in his career to date.
“One of the most rewarding parts of my role at the MTA is spending time with apprentices and talking about what’s important to them,” CEO Darrell Jacobs said.
“We are continually improving and updating our courses to best suit the needs of industry and the apprentices they employ.
“Apprentices have the benefit of earning whilst they are learning and receive ongoing support to fuel their professional growth, including across a range of cutting-edge technology.”
South Australian Minister for Education, Training and Skills Blair
Boyer was on deck at the Ceremony to also help make a major milestone announcement.
The MTA revealed that for the first time ever it now has more than 1,000 apprentices in training.
Upon his commencement as CEO in January 2023, Darrell Jacobs and MTA SA/NT General Manager of Apprenticeships Jodi Ryan have rolled out a new integrated model of training.
The new initiative combines focused and intensive classroom learning with real world workshop assessment in a business, connecting apprentices with the latest technology and techniques used by industry.
It has the added benefit of assisting South Australian businesses whilst they are dealing with acute labour shortages by giving back more apprentice time and increasing productivity.
New apprentices also now receive accredited electric vehicle qualifications to prepare for the EV transition the automotive industry faces.
“With an increase of more than 120 apprentices in just its first four months, the MTA’s new integrated training model has proved to be a game changer,” Darrell Jacobs said.
Apprentices have the benefit of earning whilst they are learning and receive ongoing support to fuel their professional growth...
The automotive industry's future holds great promise, evident from the wide range of MTA award categories and the accomplished graduates that were celebrated. The evening concluded with a profound sense of pride and accomplishment as graduates, award winners, their families, loved ones, and employers gathered together to commemorate their achievements.
The MTA Automotive Graduation and Awards 2023 will undoubtedly be remembered as a pivotal moment in the lives of these talented individuals as they embark on promising careers in the automotive industry.
Minister Boyer helped present the graduating parchments and reinforced the importance of vocational learning.
“Our young people need to know there are a range of options available to them after school, not just university as a pathway,” the Minister said during his remarks. The success of the 2023 Automotive Graduation and Awards Ceremony would not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors.
The MTA would like to express its deepest appreciation to Spirit Super, Mas National, Capricorn Society, RAA, MEGT Australia, myenergi APAC, ADAS Solutions Australia, Axalta - Australia and New Zealand, Department for Education, South Australia, Rayton Electrical, Tatiara Truck & Trailers, Cleve Hotel Motel, PPG, and St Patrick's Technical College.
