Melbourne, December 11, 2023 - Gates Australia, a leading provider of innovative automotive solutions recognises the pivotal role that apprentice mechanics play in shaping the future of the automotive industry.
In 2022, a pioneering pilot program was initiated in collaboration with Repco Authorised Service (RAS) where apprentices were encouraged to submit a video explaining why they wanted to become an automotive mechanic.
The most compelling submissions were subsequently awarded an exclusive Supercars experience with the Penrite Racing Team, where they had access to behind-the-scenes pit garage tour, meet-and-greet with the drivers and complete access to view the race from the Penrite Racing Corporate Suite.
Following the success of this campaign, the team has come up with a revised structure of this program that gives 2 apprentices a chance to spend a race weekend with the Penrite Racing Team, working in the pits as part of the crew.
Up until now, we had 4 apprentices participate at the Supercars Gold Coast 500 and Adelaide 500 rounds.
“I was extremely lucky to have been chosen to be a part of an awesome experience at the Gold Coast 500. The team was extremely welcoming as I found myself working with the team on Matt Paynes Mustang, everyone was very helpful and supportive in showing me all the steps that need to be taken to prep a V8 supercar for a race weekend”, said Kyler Clements, the RAS apprentice who attended the Gold Coast 500 experience.
“I found the experience of being involved with the Penrite Racing team to be an eventful and great way to see what it is like to be a part of the team and see how everyone has to already have a sense on what each other needs to do and what has been happening the whole time, I found that the experience was a fast pace in preparation for when it comes to the moment of the actual race and lots of checking and final checks”, says Mitch Frahn, the apprentice who worked at the Adelaide 500.
“It is interesting to see how the team operates behind the scenes which you cannot do as a spectator, I was able to learn so much and see how well they work together, everyone has their role, and they are able to work so quickly.” says Kimberley Haldane, another apprentice who worked at the Adelaide 500.
She also mentioned, “It was intriguing to be able to see firsthand some of the tasks performed, why it is done the way it is and to be able to help with some of those tasks”.
The objective of this program is to reward apprentice mechanics and demonstrate to them that there is more to this industry than just the daily grind.
After the overwhelming success of our campaign in 2023, we’re thrilled to announce that we’ll continue this initiative through the 2024 Supercars season.