Preparing for the future – Gough Group Apprentice Programme
- Details
- Written by Tim Newman
- Published on 18 August 2017
An apprenticeship with the Gough Group is more than just a training programme – it’s an opportunity to gain skills, mentors and friends, that will set you up for life.
Each year the Gough Group offers approximately 20 lucky people a Heavy Diesel Automotive or Materials Handling Equipment apprenticeship at one of their nationwide locations. These apprenticeships are fiercely sought after and set the graduates up with a qualification and a career path to last their career.
“My dad is in construction, so I grew up working with my hands and knew I wanted a job in a trade,” says Brad Pearcy, now in the final year of his Heavy Diesel Automotive – Plant & Equipment apprenticeship with the Gough Cat Christchurch branch.
“My uncle, a diesel mechanic, suggested I complete a Pre-Trade Automotive Course and my work experience for that course was one day a week at the Gough Group. During this time I realised that becoming a Heavy Diesel Technician offered an awesome career path - and working for Gough Cat was the ultimate opportunity.”
Gough Group is one of the largest employers of Heavy Automotive Apprentices in New Zealand with around 50 apprentices at various stages of their qualification at any time. The 4-year apprenticeship programme consists of both theory and practical learning and is a collaboration between MITO (Motor Industry Training Organisation) and GIT (Gough Institute of Training) which is the Group’s own in-house training facility based in Christchurch.
“To succeed, the apprentices need to be both motivated and disciplined,” says Kylie Martin, Apprentice & Training Advisor with the GIT.
“Our apprenticeships involve a variety of theory and practical assignments, online learning and off-site block courses at polytechnics, as well as in-house product training, all of which the apprentice needs to manage whilst working full time in their branch workshop. There is plenty of support for our apprentices from the trainers at the GIT, MITO tutors and the branch staff. At the completion of the course the apprentice holds a National Certificate in Heavy Diesel Automotive - either Plant & Equipment or Materials Handling Equipment (Levels 3 & 4)”.
This qualification is a ticket to a number of opportunities locally with Gough Group and internationally with Caterpillar and Hyster dealers.
“Many of our staff commenced their careers as apprentices and have continued on to enjoy diverse and fulfilling careers with us,” says Jane Hunter, Recruitment Manager with Gough Group. “We fully encourage all our staff to embrace all the opportunities that holding a qualification presents to them.”
The recruitment for the 2018 intake of apprentices is now open, so be sure to sign up on the Careers page of Gough Group website or like Gough Group Careers on Facebook if you want to prepare for a future full of opportunities.