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Isuzu crowns National Tech Skills champions for 2024

In both the technician and apprentice fields, Isuzu Australia has new national tech skills champions for 2024 after the domestic competition was held on November 27

Isuzu Trucks has held its National Technical Skills Competition for 2024, announcing its leading technicians for the year.

Held at Isuzu Australia’s training facility at its Melbourne head office on November 27, the competition saw the nation’s brightest technicians pitted against each other and the clock in a series of high-pressure diagnostic tests.

The written and practical tests are designed to measure a technician’s knowledge, problem-solving capabilities, and ability to adapt to whatever Isuzu product is brought onto the floor.

Isuzu Australia aftersales head Brett Stewart congratulated all participants who entered the domestic competition, along with this year’s top finalists in Jonathan (Jono) Elias from Black Truck & Ag in Queensland and Bendigo Isuzu’s Louis Holt.

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The pair couldn’t be split at the top, finishing ahead of Brad Hickey from Double R Isuzu, Webster Trucks’ Ben Manning and Black Truck & Ag’s Anthony Pickering.

Following the top five was William Smith from Patterson Cheney Trucks and Brisbane Isuzu’s (Stapylton) Jack White.

“Jono and Louis’ performance under pressure was phenomenal, so well done to them and to all who took on the challenge this year,” Stewart says.

“It’s critical that Isuzu does its bit to provide incentives for technicians to develop their skills and encourage them towards becoming our master technicians of the future. ​

“Our goal is also to generate excitement around their critical role within Australia’s trucking sector and encourage new talent and apprentices.”

On this note, Stewart says Isuzu was more than pleased to see a recent jump in apprentice applications at dealerships in the Isuzu Trucks network.

“The National Technical Skills Competition is a key example of how Isuzu supports its talent, no matter where a service tech is in their career journey,” he says.

“The apprentice round is a great showcase of what Isuzu Australia has to offer our young technicians while setting some clear and achievable goals that can inspire future generations.”

In the apprentice round of the 2024 competition, Hamish Yeomans of Tasmania’s Webster Trucks finished first, with Travis Chaffey of Double R Isuzu placing second.

The pair finished ahead of Josh Ahearn from Road Runner Mechanical Services, Webster Trucks’ Weijun Zhang, Major Motors’ (Forrestfield) Darrin Cox and Mack Matthews from Bendigo Isuzu.

Isuzu’s Jono Elias. Image: Isuzu Australia

When you’re under the pump and under the watchful eyes of Isuzu’s judges, it takes nerves of steel to diagnose tricky engine faults.

Jono Elias, the winner of this year’s competition, did not let anything hold him back.

“I have been with Black Truck & Ag in Toowoomba since I began as an apprentice straight out of high school in 2013, but this is my first time visiting Melbourne and the Isuzu Trucks headquarters,” he says.

“The practical and written exams were nerve-wracking, and I am pretty surprised I managed to pull it all off but happy about it as well!

“Participating in competitions such as this is worth every bit of effort; even if you don’t pass the entry test, you learn a lot and improve your skills.” ​ ​

Experienced technician Louis Holt from Bendigo Isuzu took second place. A seasoned competitor in previous years of the competition, Holt was positive about taking on the competition again. ​ ​

“It was great to be back with everyone at this year’s competition,” he says.

“Jono has done really well. It will be loads of fun working with him getting ready for Japan and the I-1 GP. ​

“I definitely want to see us have a podium finish next year, but whether it’s first, second, or third, no matter where we finish, it’s still a win!”

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