Klarah Cassar-Tan with Dean Jenkins and Adam Beilken from Mercedes-Benz Sunshine Coast
Klarah Cassar-Tan is the MTA Institute Apprentice of the Month for April 2021.
The 18-year-old light vehicle apprentice has just started her third year of training and has been working for Mercedes-Benz Sunshine Coast since August 2018.
And she has made quite an impression, both as an employee and as a student, with both her bosses at Mercedes-Benz and her MTA Institute trainer Kevin Ryan commenting on her dedication, enthusiasm, and work ethic.
“Klarah has a terrific attitude, completes her work to a high level, and is setting a high standard for her fellow apprentices,” said Kevin.
Having always been fascinated by cars – she was, she said, an avid matchbox model car collector as a kid – Klarah got the opportunity to work with Mercedes while she was still at school. It was, she said, a chance she leapt at.
“My school was organising work experience opportunities, and when we were asked what we would like to do, I instantly said motor mechanics. It has always interested me, and I really wanted to have a go with Mercedes-Benz so I put in an application,” she said. “I went to do a week of work experience, and was then offered a school-based apprenticeship. It was all very exciting.
“I have been here since August 2018, when I was doing one day a week as part of that school-based apprenticeship, and started here full time in July 2019. And I have no regrets. I’m very lucky to be working for Mercedes-Benz. I love it so much.”
As a third-year apprentice, Klarah gets to work on a wide variety of jobs, and being this is Mercedes-Benz, those jobs mean working on some high-end, technically advanced vehicles. And with the company having recently revealed the first of its EQ range of electric vehicles, that technology is something Klarah is aware is on its way and one that she is keen to work with when the opportunity arises.
“I am working on a bit of everything at the moment, and I do get the odd big job and do some work on my own which is really interesting and a little nerve-wracking at the same time. Mercedes cars are very complex with lots of technology and there’s always something new to learn. It keeps me busy, and I love it,” she said. “We do have electric vehicles coming out now too, and though I personally haven’t worked on one yet, I would love to get into that as well. That’s where things are headed.”
Klarah still has a couple more years of apprenticeship training to go before she qualifies, and while her passion for cars and the work will ensure a long and rewarding career in the industry, there are a couple of ambitious pathways that she has looked at pursuing.
“I would love to open and run my own workshop one day. That would be great.” she said. “Or perhaps go to Germany to work and build cars. That would be awesome as well.
“I like to aim high.”
Source: Motor Trader e-Magazine (June 2021)
10 June 2021
