NZ Motor Industry Training Organisation (Inc) (MITO)

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Peta Sharpe from Junior's Kustom Rides and Classics Ltd in Lower Hutt

A MITO training programme that targets secondary school students is proving a big hit with employers.

‘StartUp^® offers benefits all round – enabling interested students to experience and learn about the automotive industry first hand, and employers to meet and observe potential new employees.

Delivering the goods

Nineteen year old Peta Sharpe says enrolling in the StartUp^® programme when she was at school was “one of the best things I’ve ever done”.

“I heard about StartUp^® and thought it was a great opportunity for someone like me. It gave me the chance to learn more about the industry. It included theory-based study and work experience with a local employer every Friday, which soon showed me that being an automotive technician was the job for me.”

Peta now works at Junior’s Kustom Rides and Classics, a business based in the Lower Hutt that specialises in hot rods, custom cars and classics. It’s her dream job, “I love it,” she says. “I wouldn’t leave this job for anything!”

As for the employer’s perspective, Grant Ryan of Lower Hutt’s Contour Brakes thinks StartUp^® is a great idea. “It gives young people the chance to experience the discipline and demands of a business environment, which is so different from school,” he says. “It also helps us to find out whether we have a ‘fit’ with the young person, in terms of their abilities and their willingness to learn and contribute to the workplace.”

Offering experience and qualifications

MITO works closely with secondary schools and employers to ensure StartUp^®’s success.

For many employers, StartUp^® is a great move towards securing the future of their business, while for others it’s a personal contribution to the community and the future of the industry. Either way, the programme is helping to improve overall industry standards while providing young people with challenging work opportunities – putting them on track to long and rewarding careers.

Joining StartUp^® is easy

If you’re interested in signing a student into StartUp^®, simply contact your local MITO Industry Training Advisor (ITA) or call MITO on 0800 88 21 21.

StartUp^® – it’s the perfect way to match your business with the energy and talent you need for the future.