Liam Shakespeare is the MTA Institute apprentice of the month for January 2023.
The 19-year-old is a second-year light vehicle apprentice with Fulcrum Suspension Specialists in Capalaba, south of Brisbane, and is proving to be an excellent student, impressing his employer and his MTA Institute trainer with his skills and his enthusiasm to learn.
Liam’s abilities have been impressive enough that the MTA Institute apprentice of the month award is not the first accolade he has received – in November last year, he picked up the Fulcrum Suspension Superstar award which is given to the highest achieving technician across the company, Australia-wide. He is the first apprentice to do so.
That’s a pretty good start to a fledgling career and working with cars is something Liam enjoys immensely.
“I eat, sleep and breathe cars!” he said. “Ever since I got my learners, I’ve loved every bit of it and had my own car – a 2000 Suzuki Jimny – which I pretty much rebuilt it and did everything I could to it. I still have it, but it is in many parts now as I try to make it even better!”
This enthusiasm that was sparked in Liam was helped along by an older brother, also a light vehicle apprentice.
“He works at Athena Automatics in Tingalpa, and we had plenty of conversations about cars,” he said with a chuckle.
As a second-year apprentice, Liam gets to work on most of the jobs that come through the Fulcrum Capalaba workshop. While these are mostly related to suspension and other undercar technology jobs, he does, he said, get to work on more regular mechanical jobs from time to time.
“Every so often we do servicing, but it isn’t as common as at a regular mechanical workshop,” he said. “We do mostly suspension work, and re-bushing, wheel alignments and so on. But I love the work I do and am trusted with most jobs. If I ever need any help, there is always someone around.
“And we work on all makes and models – sports cars, 4x4s, anything. There’s lots of variety comes through the shop and being that we are suspension specialists we do get a few interesting requests – that don’t always get approved!”
Liam works with five others, including another apprentice, at the Fulcrum Capalaba workshop and is trained by MTA Institute trainer James Dixon.
The training delivery offered by the MTA Institute – one-on-one and in the workshop – is one that Liam said suits him well.
“The one-on-one training does work well for me. I much rather do it this way because James comes here and we can talk through things. I can ask him anything and also feel comfortable reaching out by email or phone to ask questions if needed.
While Liam has at least a couple of years to go before finishing his apprenticeship, it seems clear that an automotive career is one he’ll embrace fully and he has some ideas about what direction his career might take.
“I’ll always stay in this industry,” he said. “And I’d be quite interested in looking at custom work at some point – custom fabrication and modifications. Maybe I’ll start my own business one day. That would be great.”
The MTA Institute Apprentice of the Month is proudly sponsored by Spirit Super.
Source: Motor Trader e-Magazine (February 2023)
20 February 2023
