Tye Bugeja (right) with MTA Institute Trainer Antony Joslin
Tye Bugeja is the MTA Institute apprentice of the month for December 2022.
The 20-year-old light vehicle apprentice, who works at Smithfield Automotive in Cairns, is in the fourth year of his apprenticeship and is expected to complete his training in just a couple of months.
According to Antony Joslin, his MTA Institute trainer, Tye’s enthusiasm and dedication to learning the trade makes him an outstanding employee and student.
“He has consistently demonstrated a fantastic work ethic in both his day-to-day work and in his training,” said Antony, who is one of three highly experienced MTA Institute trainers who serve the Cairns region. “Tye is keen to learn more and apply his learning to his work, and he is a credit to himself and his workshop. It’s a pleasure to have him as an apprentice.”
Working at Smithfield Automotive was always a likely career path for Tye. Owned and run by his parents, Louise and Gary, who started the business 18 years ago, Smithfield Automotive offers the full range of mechanical services – from general maintenance and repairs, to tyres, log book servicing, roadworthy certificates, brakes and suspensions and more – on petrol and diesel vehicles of all makes and models.
While Tye’s family have been involved the industry for many years, and his interest in it is deep, it was not always a sure thing that Tye would follow that path. However, an unfortunate accident would see his father injured and a young Tye step up to help out – a move that would see him realise that automotive might really be a career he could pursue.
“I was always interested because I used to race motorbikes, so Dad always had me on the tools working on bikes, but I wasn’t really looking at mechanical as a career,” said Tye. “However, when I was finishing school my dad had an accident with his foot and couldn’t work for a year, so I chipped in with helping out,
enjoyed it and decided to do my trade.”
With Smithfield Automotive offering services on any make and model, Tye has plenty of experience working on all manner of jobs on all sorts of vehicles fitted with all types of technology. And he has tested his skills on work across the full list of services offered by the business.
“We’ve had Falcons from the 1970s to brand new vehicles come through,” he said. “And I enjoy all aspects of what we do. It just depends on the car!”
Tye has trained with the MTA Institute since starting his apprenticeship, working with his current trainer Antony for the past few months, and the way the Institute delivers its training – one-on-one and in the workplace – is one that suits him, said Tye.
“When you basically have your own teacher who can help you out, you can get much more work done. And I can contact Antony at any time.”
As he gets closer to gaining his trade qualification, Tye has considered the direction his career may take and, not surprisingly, it revolves around building on the work of his parents and the business they have developed over two decades. It’s a lot of responsibility for a 20-year-old, but Tye is confident and enthusiastic about the future.
“I’m a little bit nervous but I’m keen to do it,” he said. “I’ve always been around the workshop and I’ve watched mum and dad run things, and we have kind of planned it so that when I have completed my apprenticeship, my dad is going to lean off of the workshop and let me take over. I’ve had to do it a few times when he has had to go down to Brisbane for check-ups and, hopefully, I’ll be able to take over more and more. That’s the plan.”
The MTA Institute Apprentice of the Month is proudly sponsored by Spirit Super.
Source: Motor Trader e-Magazine (February 2023)
16 February 2023
