ELECTRICIAN | CLAYTON TIPENE

CONTINUALLY UPSKILLING

writer PETER WHITE // photo ALAN STEVENS

“I love the job and the people I work with. The best thing I like about working for Clarksons is the skills I get to learn. They do a lot of training to up-skill you in so many areas,” says CLAYTON TIPENE. The 29-year-old has completed his apprenticeship and is now a qualified electrician. He works for Clarksons and is based in Mount Maunganui. He started off as a trade assistant through a programme called Youth Inspire in mid-2016, after having moved from the Bay of Islands to Wellington. Clayton was looking to learn new skills and get a new career going. Through Youth Inspire, he got an interview with Clarksons. “My first jobs were installing pumps and doing maintenance at Mobil gas stations and then I had a meeting with the managers at Clarksons. They told me I was doing a good job and after that they offered me an apprenticeship.” “During my apprenticeship, Clarksons helped me quite a bit with developing my knowledge in all different kinds of skills and industries, including electrical, fuels and property, and helping me improve my communication skills,” says Clayton. Clayton admits he struggled with his communication when he started working but dealing with customers helped build up his confidence. Now he loves dealing with customers and with his workmates every day. The daily work offers plenty of variety – from the specialised fuel work to servicing electrical appliances, pie warmers and cigarette dispensing machines at petrol stations. Clayton went to Bay of Islands College and enjoyed Art, Woodwork, Metalwork, PE and Maths during his final Year 11. He says there are some key basic things that school leavers should remember when they start their new jobs. “The first thing is you have got to have a good attitude and a little bit of banter with your workmates makes your day happier. A good work ethic is also important and always be on time to work.” Clarksons’ managing director David Clarkson is delighted with the progress Clayton has made since joining the company. “We have lots of internal processes to bringing people through. Clayton came on board as a property maintenance person doing handyman work and working alongside our electricians. He excelled in that area and then the opportunity came through for him to become an electrician and he is now out of his electrical apprenticeship.” Clarkson says there are multiple opportunities for school leavers. “You can grow into property maintenance and then into managed supervisory areas or through fuel servicing and become fuel technicians fixing all the fuel dispensers at service stations. “You have to be able to think and follow instructions and procedures because you are working in environments that are explosive. “It is an exciting time to be working in those environments and there is something to be proud of.”

DURING MY APPRENTICESHIP, CLARKSONS HELPED ME QUITE A BIT WITH DEVELOPING MY KNOWLEDGE IN ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF SKILLS AND INDUSTRIES.

CLAYTON TIPENE

KEY FACTS

■ CLAYTON TIPENE IS A QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN, HAVING COMPLETED HIS

ELECTRICAL APPRENTICESHIP. HE WORKS AT CLARKSONS AND IS BASED

IN MOUNT MAUNGANUI. ■ HE WENT TO BAY OF ISLANDS COLLEGE AND STUDIED ART, WOODWORK,

METALWORK, PE AND MATHS IN YEAR 11. ■ CLAYTON BELIEVES THAT HAVING A GOOD WORK ETHIC, BEING ON TIME

TO WORK AND HAVING A GOOD ATTITUDE ARE ALL IMPORTANT WHEN

STARTING A NEW JOB. For more information on career opportunities with Clarksons, visit

www.clarksons.co.nz/careers