School work experience leads to Apprentice of the Year Award

A young Taupo apprentice, Te Iwi Biddle, has won the prestigious Collision Repair Association�s Golden Hammer Award 2008 for the top performing apprentice nationally in collision repair. 

Te Iwi came into the automotive industry via the Gateway programme at Taupo-nui-a-Tia College.  He impressed employer Alan Collins at Forster Panelbeaters Limited during the work experience component of the programme.  Alan invited him to return as a permanent employee on the completion of his school year.

Alan encouraged Te Iwi to study towards his national qualification because he displayed such motivation and was very precise in everything he did.

Te Iwi completed his apprenticeship through the NZ Motor Industry Training Organisation (Inc) (MITO) and is currently working towards completing MITO�s advanced technical programme ATech�.

Te Iwi himself is typically low key about his own success, but it�s a story he�d like to see repeated.  He is mindful of school students who are technically-minded but lacking the confidence to push themselves forward.

It�s obvious he appreciates all the help and support he received along the way and would encourage school students to take the opportunities available to develop their talents, such as MITO�s StartUp� programme, which is designed to give students the chance to experience the motor industry and learn the skills necessary for starting out in it. http://www.mito.org.nz