For the first time in Honda Australia’s history, a female has been named ‘apprentice of the year’.
Belinda Broom from Hardman Honda in NSW, was crowned at a dinner at the Royal Cliff Resort in Thailand – and Matthew Gwynne from Blue Ribbon Honda in QLD was announced ‘technician of the year’.
“We were very impressed with the calibre of this year’s entrants and take great pride in presenting these awards to some of the automotive industry’s most skilled professionals,” says Stephen Collins, director and general manager sales and marketing at Honda Australia.
The national competition is open to all registered apprentices and technicians who have completed three rounds of technical questions that are researched and answered via the on-line Honda Learning Centre.
Finalists complete five module exams which consist of one general knowledge and four skill modules, each with a total score of one hundred marks. At the completion of the final, all technicians and apprentices join the top five service managers in Thailand for a seven-day study tour.
The study tour includes a team building exercise called “The Great Race of Bangkok” where teams navigate around Bangkok gathering clues and bartering for specific tourist items. The race is designed to allow the group to see some of Thailand’s most well-known and exotic icons, while working together as a team.
The study tour included a factory visit to the recently reopened Honda plant in Ayutthaya, as well as a major dealership in the heart of Bangkok.
Both winners received a trophy and personalised plaque as well as an iPad and Snap-On tool voucher to the value of $300.
Runner-up technician of the year: Jarred Davis from Dave Potter Honda, SA.
Runner-up apprentice of the year: Daniel Ivanov from Northside Honda, QLD.
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