Personnel Articles , ,

MELBOURNE-BASED truck-maker and distributor PACCAR Australia was recently named 2018 Large Employer of the Year in the federal government’s Australian Training Awards.

Run through the department of education and training, these are the peak national awards for the vocational education and training (VET) sector, recognising and rewarding businesses, registered training organisations and individuals for demonstrating excellence in the field and contributing to improving skills in Australia.

Among other award recipients, VET specialist Jennie Barrera received the 2018 National Achievement Award for her work in assisting Toyota Australia employees transition to other employment after the company ceased manufacturing in October 2017, while CMI Toyota training and development manager Darren Quinn was runner up in the VET Teacher/Trainer of the Year Award.

Top job: (from left) PACCAR Australia managing director Andrew Hadjikakou, chief engineer Noelle Parlier, HR director Robert Brierley, learning and development manager Miles Ridler and quality manager Andrea Nation.

PACCAR Australia’s Large Employer of the Year Award recognises a business that employs 200 or more full-time equivalent employees, and has achieved excellence in the provision of ‘nationally recognised training’.

As GoAuto has reported, PACCAR recently added DAF truck production to its Australian manufacturing plant in Bayswater – joining Kenworth trucks, which have been locally built for almost 50 years – and has plans to double the size of its operations over the next few years.

It currently employs more than 1100 workers.

In accepting the award, PACCAR Australia managing director Andrew Hadjikakou acknowledged the employees and the company “for their collective commitment to learning and development”.

“This award is for our employees, whose skills and passion for PACCAR products is the reason our customers receive the best we can produce,” he said.

Darren Quinn – CMI Toyota VET Trainer of the Year Award runner up

“It’s their commitment to safety, quality and continuous learning that drives what they do.

“The honour of this is in the public acknowledgement of the work PACCAR Australia has done to deliver an exceptional standard of training for our employees and specifically acknowledges the investment made by the company in recent years in vocational education and training of its employees, suppliers and dealer network.

“In order to provide the highest quality product to our valued customers, we need the best people. To attract highly talented people, among a range of things we offer them the requisite tools and, importantly, the training and development to not only do their current role but to grow and progress in the company.”

In its award citation, PACCAR was acknowledged as having built up “a vibrant and exciting business … (that) offers great opportunities for long and successful careers” – including a range of pathways that open up from a common starting point.

Employees are encouraged to develop new skills through exposure to different tasks, or sections of the company, and are then supported in pursuing relevant careers through training and further education.

Among the individual award winners, Ms Barrera, who is the long-serving chief executive of the Wyndham Community and Education Centre in Werribee, Victoria – not far from Toyota’s former Altona factory in Melbourne’s west – was recognised for the significant leadership role she performs in her community, driving humanitarian programs for migrants and other disadvantaged groups.

Her work with Toyota was described by the judges “as a credit to her innovation and drive” as she assisted employees transition to other employment, implementing a program that has since been replicated across Victoria.

Meanwhile, Mr Quinn’s recognition as one of the nation’s top VET trainers has come as he himself took on a new challenge about 18 months ago, moving from GM Holden around the same time it also closed its Australian manufacturing operations.

Jennie Barrera – National Achievement Award

He had spent seven years serving as a technical trainer and training curriculum developer for Holden, but in August 2017 – two months before the final locally made Commodores rolled out of the Elizabeth factory on Adelaide’s northern fringe – took on the role of training and development manager for CMI Toyota, which is part of the Commercial Motor Vehicles (CMV) Group and South Australia’s number-one dealership for the market-leading Japanese brand.

The award citation shows that Mr Quinn drew on his previous experiences with Holden to support the development of 45 trainee and apprentices currently employed in the CMV Group’s light vehicle dealerships.

“Darren’s aim is to improve the quality of training available for all learners to access,” the judges said. “His view is that for training to be successful, it is vital learners are motivated and engaged by their trainers and mentors.

“To achieve this, Darren uses a variety of different approaches, including classroom based-facilitation, practical demonstrations, e-learning and group activities.

“He sees himself as a facilitator who gets the course started and provides the basic structure, while allowing students to take charge of their learning.”

Mr Quinn said he was “extremely honoured” to be named runner up in the national award, which covers a broad range of industries.

“Almost 20 years ago, gaining an apprenticeship in the automotive industry changed my life and being able to give those same opportunities to young South Australians today makes my work an extremely rewarding experience,” he said.

The winner in this category, Western Australia’s Crystle Challinger, comes from the creative arts sector.

By Terry Martin

Top job: (from left) PACCAR Australia managing director Andrew Hadjikakou, chief engineer Noelle Parlier, HR director Robert Brierley, learning and development manager Miles Ridler and quality manager Andrea Nation.

Manheim
Manheim
Manheim
Gumtree
Gumtree
DealerCell
AdTorque Edge
MotorOne
PitcherPartners
Schmick