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WORK EXPERIENCE
blueprint australian industry trade college
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EXCEL IN WORK EXPERIENCE
When educating young people as leaders in industry, the AITC works hard to make sure they are prepared for their career journey.
Finding work experience (WEX) marks the beginning, but having the right attitude in the workplace is where young people really make an impact. It’s where they shine, where they learn and where they grow.
Mark Crane, business owner of Marjac Automotive, has worked closely with the AITC Sunshine Coast campus for several years and given hundreds of valuable hours in work experience to many of our seniors. However, after WEX, the next step is a crucial one — to be signed-on as an apprentice or trainee. Mark talks about the importance of work experience and how it gives young people a chance to stand out from the crowd.
Initially WEX is about “seeing what capabilities a person has to give.” Through the AITC “they are semiprepared, so they’re not like they’ve just come off the street with no understanding of what employment is all about,” says Mark.
This time allows an employer to understand how that person may fit in with the team and be a valuable apprentice/employee. “For example, Jackson [AITC senior] turned up two weeks ago and I saw something in him,” explains Mark. During work experience “it was important to motivate him and to give him encouragement.” Once finishing his education block, Jackson was signed-up as a school-based apprentice.
“Jackson is attentive, passionate, and when he turns up, he is ready.” Mark says it’s about “all those little things — when kids come in alert and they’re ready to go. Jackson was in at 7:20am for an 8:00am start, he’s here, walks straight in and starts into the process.”
When a young person starts WEX at Marjac Automotive they are buddied with a technician. From the first day “you’re looking at their posture, their alertness and where they’re at,” says Mark. “It’s important they walk in with an open mind, that they’re ready and aware of the workplace. We know they’re new and they’re not going to jump in and rebuild motors straight away. But they need to be attentive, be responsive and listen.
“With Jackson you see that. He’s only been here a couple of weeks and he’s working hard, he’s alert and aware. I’ve had to educate him about getting a haircut! I made him aware about my expectations and he’s stepped up.”
Growing and learning is a constant part of WEX and it’s important to think about future possibilities after signing-on as an apprentice. “There’s no reason why an apprentice shouldn’t start thinking about being a boss one day,” explains Mark. It comes with proving your abilities during work experience, having the goal to be an apprentice and then having that drive to learn more. “I am a mechanic but I’m also a business owner. When you become a business owner there’s more responsibility, you work out money, wages, time, people.”
There are many things to learn in a business workflow. “It’s important to understand how the whole place runs, understand from the customer walking in the door, to giving them the price of
the job, to doing the job card, to handing it out, supplying the parts before the mechanic gets it, then the mechanic does his job and presents it back.
WORK EXPERIENCE
CREATES OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL
Mark is no stranger to hard work and has over 40 years’ experience as a mechanic.
“On the last day of Grade 10 I started fixing cars and haven’t stopped. I still love it, still passionate about it. I worked in a service station with Dad. When he saw something in me, he sacked the mechanic and said, ‘Right you’re on your own. Teach yourself. Learn the ways. Do what you’ve got to do.’. Now I run my own business on the Sunshine Coast, I’ve got six staff, a nice workshop, good workshop flow, keeping the workplace happy and doing a quality job for every car that comes in the door. I also do classic cars as a side thing. That has a difference in the workshop, so it’s not just every day normal cars, we have a bit of variety.”
With a successful business Mark places importance on working with a great team and has high standards for his employees. He offers advice to businesses about finding a team member who’s going to be that perfect fit.
“It’s about giving your best work to the customer, understanding the profit of the job, and understanding the cost of the business,” explains Mark. All businesses should take the opportunity and organise work experience with the AITC. “They have the work cover, insurance is organised and all that is set up with the AITC. All the background is done. Young people come to work prepared, and you get them for a quality amount of time and you’re giving students a purposeful work structure.
To have big goals like this Mark advises the importance of further studies such as business. There’s no reason why apprentices “couldn’t own this business in three years’ time. It’s good to think about the future and commit yourself. Imagine if they bought the business off me and owned it. It would be good to take something good and work with it, rather than build a business on your own. Imagine a young person who’s 18-years-old and in four years having the ability to own a percentage of the business he’s working in?” “Someone coming from the AITC is actually ready and they have the backing of a College which understands what you want and what you need.
“The difference with the AITC is they’re doing subjects that relate to the trade. They’re preparing kids for everything industry related and providing them with a variety of trades they can try.
“Work experience kids straight from mainstream school wouldn’t have the same technical awareness. With the AITC they’re made aware of the workplace. You’re not looking at someone who is blank.”
When young people turn up for work experience it’s important for the business owner to understand they’re not raw. “They will have an understanding of what they’re needed for. They will add to that business and become part of the team. It’s all a team effort. If you’re playing football on a Saturday morning, even if you don’t know your team members, and it’s your first game you’re still part of the team.”
