Isuzu technicians from all over the country descended on the company’s headquarters in Melbourne to compete in the Isuzu Trucks National Technical Skills Competition 2023.
Held on November 29, the competition tests the skills of the very best mechanics Australia has to offer, challenging their skills in a series of tests against their colleagues, the clock, and ultimately, themselves.
Two Western Australians, Jason Lee from Road Runner Mechanical Services and Connor Gillam from Major Motors, earned the top prizes after a successful outing on Wednesday.
Isuzu Australia Limited (IAL) head of aftersales Brett Stewart congratulates the two men on their victories.
“I am so pleased to congratulate our two top finalists Jason and Connor, and to see the high calibre of apprentices and service technicians that have come through to the final stage of the National Technical Skills Competition,” he says.
“This competition encourages technicians to challenge themselves personally but also has a positive flow on effect for the dealerships and Isuzu customers who benefit from their expertise.”
This year’s competition was similar to that of years past, with a written examination followed by a number of high-pressure practical tests, emulating real-life situations.
There was a particular focus on getting tasks done quickly, which Isuzu says was to meet the rapid responses required with new Isuzu technology.
With the I-1 Grand Prix in Japan now on the horizon for Lee and Gillam, the two men say they are proud to be representing Australia overseas in 2024.
“Road Runner Mechanical Services in Geraldton is a relative newcomer to the Isuzu network, so it’s great to be a part of the experience,” Lee says.
“I haven’t been to Japan before, so this is an amazing opportunity to visit and take part in the I-1 Grand Prix.”
“It was my goal to reach Japan and compete in the I-1 Grand Prix, but I did not honestly expect to take out one of the top spots,” Gillam adds.
“Working with trucks is my thing and I want to stay in the game for as long as possible… this event has been really motivating and I am stoked to have the chance to compete.”
There was also an apprentice round, allowing younger mechanics still learning their craft a chance to participate in the competition.
The two top scoring contestants from the apprentice round were Matthew Dinola from Patterson Cheney Trucks in Victoria and Kim Coronacion from Bendigo Isuzu.
“Congratulations to all our apprentices who trained so hard and did us proud at the event,” Stewart says.
“As a former service technician, myself, it always brings me great pleasure to see how events like this highlight the value of service techs and apprentices in this industry, while also providing a platform for our young people to network.
“With many students just now graduating from high school and looking towards their future, this is a timely reminder that a career as a service technician can come with many exciting moments and opportunities.”