An entrepreneurial spark
Whether it’s fitting out a TV and fridge for a new freight truck or running fault diagnostics on a broken-down vehicle in the bush, Terence Dorrell has taken the hands-on learning in his automotive electrical engineering apprenticeship in his stride.
Terence, or Terry as he’s known at work, began his apprenticeship journey with Southpac Trucks in an after-school job when he was a student at Rotorua Boys’ High School. While the role started out doing the basics to keep the workshop ticking over—sweeping floors, emptying rubbish bins, and keeping the smoko room tidy—it wasn’t long before Southpac Trucks Branch Manager Chris Larkin noticed Terry’s proactive nature and offered him an Automotive Electrician apprenticeship at the workshop, undertaking the New Zealand Certificate in Automotive Electrical Engineering (Level 3 and 4) with MITO.
“He kept asking what else he could do, and as he got more confidence, we pushed him into different areas to test his skills out,” says Chris. “Earlier in the piece we threw him into a job with a truck supervisor, who was very impressed with the work Terry produced. That's when we realised that he had a background in speedway because his welding was first rate.”
It was his background in speedway that led Terry to apply for the role at Southpac in the first place.
“My family’s always been into speedway racing, and we've done stuff with vehicles my whole life, so it was the easiest path for me to follow,” says Terry. “Speedway is quite hands-on, so it was a good place to start from, and I’ve learned lots more through working in the automotive industry.”
Southpac Trucks specialises in Kenworth and DEF freight truck imports, offering retail services, truck customisation, and repairs. During the week, Terry’s days are spent working on engineering modifications for new Kenworth or DEF trucks: fitting and wiring lights or installing comfort items like heaters and fridges. He also works on a variety of repairs; as Chris says, “tomorrow he could be on the side of the road sorting out an electrical fault with a logging truck in the bush.”
Terry says his favourite work is fitting out new trucks and Chris says his attention to detail is a real strength in this space.
“In the New Truck Division, we've got a couple of guys doing quite technical, precise work where they’re drilling into cabs, or fitting lights in certain places where the customer has specified. The precision is important. And Terry’s accurate mindset means when he’s on the job, you can guarantee it'll be fitted right and it'll be straight. He can do a lot more than others of his age,” says Chris.
The supportive learning environment at Southpac Trucks has helped Terry to develop his skills, where he is encouraged to try things out on his own and bounce ideas around with the team.
Outside of his training, Terry’s creative thinking, passion for speedway, and attention to detail have led to him designing and 3D printing models of speedway cars, selling them to fans and teams. He recently added plywood and astro turf prepackaged racetracks to his product offerings.
Following this entrepreneurial mindset, Terry hopes to one day have his own business in the electrical automotive industry.
His advice to others considering this path? Be brave and just try it out: “Give it a go. You don't really know what to expect until you do it.”
Visit mito.nz/driveyourfuture to find out more about what it’s like to work in the automotive industry, and how to get started.
