I have long argued, that in many cases, the answer to that question is “no”. As a council we apply for grants for many reasons. In some cases, it assists in the delivery of essential items.

It is the “other cases” I wish to speak about.

Most grants involve only partial funding of any given project. The example being, that if we are the recipients of a grant of $5 million to build a “something”, on the surface it sounds great. The problem is that we have already spent close enough to a million on a business case and design etc.

Still sounds ok, spend a million to get five? Well, woah back, we usually must match the grant dollar for dollar. So, spending 6 to get 5 does not sound quite as good, does it?

Well, the bad news continues. Any cost overruns are our responsibility and currently some of these overruns can be nearly twice the initial forecast! But for this exercise let’s say the overrun stands at 20 per cent or around $2 million. Now we have the situation where we are up for $8 million to secure the offered $5 million.

Now where the real kicker on this whole exercise comes in, is in maintenance and depreciation. Opening a shiny new “something” that has cost $13 million provides a wonderful opportunity for those that thrive on media opportunities.

However, it saddles us with the unenviable task of covering the cost of maintaining and depreciating that “something” every year for many years to come, not to mention the running cost – and that is wholly funded by your rates - maybe to the tune of hundreds of thousands.

While I in no way am suggesting that we do not apply for grant funding, we would do well to realise that all dollars are not created equal.

Dollars for essentials are great dollars.

Dollars for discretionary projects are dubious dollars indeed.

Coupled with this is the fact that many of our assets are decades old – many decades. These are often things you cannot see. Sewers, storm water lines, water services and more.

Renewal of these is essential or we become third world. Running to failure is NOT a desirable option as repairs in this case cost multiples of what planned maintenance costs.

Now call me conservative, but for me, uninterrupted services are more important than cutting ribbons.

Cr Martin Bella

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Whitsunday Regional Council will submit a motion to the National General Assembly of Local Government seeking support from the Federal Government on the standard of the Bruce Highway.

The North’s main highway has been under increased scrutiny over the past two years after both an increased number of damaging weather events, fatalities, and delayed roadworks caused closures and unsafe conditions.

Council’s Director Infrastructure Services Adam Hagy said the motion to the Federal Government advocates for a highway which meets that expected of a main thoroughfare, especially one of the longest in the country.

“A highway that is immune to the weather impacts that the Whitsunday Region faces and any weather event across the state, for that matter,” Mr Hagy said.

“Recently, during a rain event in January, several sections of the Bruce Highway were cut off in our region and others, stranding motorists across the network.”

The highway – which stretches close to 1,700 kilometres from Brisbane to Cairns - is the major north-south freight and commuter corridor in the state.

In recent months, the State Government’s commitment to its upkeep has been called into question by prominent Whitsunday figures, including State Member for Whitsunday Amanda Camm and Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox.

Both members made extraordinary claims of “neglect” in reference to upgrades at Goorganga Plains – the site of flooding which Mr Hagy referred to.

To the particular chagrin of locals travelling North to or South from Bowen, the over twelve-month long delay for contracted upgrades has been a continued thorn in travellers’ sides.

The National General Assembly will be held from June 13 to 16 in Canberra.

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55 seniors celebrated St. Paddy's Day at the Metropolitan Hotel with a delicious hot two course lunch and good humour.

A table booklet of Irish limericks raised the hilarity.  

Guests came dressed in Irish green and wearing large funny hats.

Add chocolate, lucky door and raffle prizes, and it was a great day out for one and all.

The following Friday, 61 friendly members came together for a bus trip to Airlie Beach singing all the way.  

We stopped at Midge Point for morning tea at The Point Tavern.  

A lovely cool spot on a warm day with yummy tucka.

We continued on to Airlie Beach's main street, where members wandered and shopped to their heart's content.

The Jubilee Tavern was our destination for a delicious hot two course meal.  

We had a choice of steak or grilled red emperor with salad and chips, followed by dessert of course.  

We all had full bellies and happy hearts on the day.  

We talked and talked and talked.  

We love each others company and look forward to all the social events.

Interested in joining? Phone 0400 242 779 for more information.

Contributed by Margaret Edwards

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Mackay 50 & Better have been a busy bunch

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Hi Everyone,

It’s been a tragic start to the Easter holidays with the sad news that a young couple perished in a light aircraft crash near Proserpine Airport on Sunday evening.

You can read the full story on the front page of Mackay Life, if you wish.

I happened to be at the airport on Monday morning when the news that the wreckage of the plane had been discovered and their bodies found.

Since then, I have been thinking about how the devastating news would have travelled to loved ones whose lives will undoubtedly never be the same again.

The pain and complete despair they would be feeling is hard to imagine.

The couple were so young and with such a wonderful future ahead, it feels particularly cruel that this has been taken away from them.

It is a reminder, however, that not one of us knows what lies ahead – a snap decision to get in a vehicle – whether that be a light plane ride or to nip round the corner in the car to get a carton of milk – no-one knows when that one journey could be our last.

That’s why it is so important to hold our family close, never go to sleep on an argument and spend every precious second enjoying life – being kind to others and ourselves.

While we are taking time off to enjoy the Easter long weekend, watching kids cover their faces with chocolate, spending time with visiting relatives and generally relaxing in our beautiful region, let’s remember how sweet life is and appreciate these moments before they become memories.

Rach

Quote of the Week: “Breathe. Let Go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure” (Oprah Winfrey)

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Every year school students across the country make their Easter Bonnets out of an array of colourful materials, glitter, paint and plastic nick nacks.

Often the bonnets are used briefly for the school parade and are then set aside – but what happens to them after this?

Cannonvale State School considered how each bonnet could contribute to additional landfill and so asked their students to make their bonnets out of decomposable materials this year.  

One young lady who took on the challenge to create an entirely decomposable bonnet was Year Six student Chelsea Baines.

Her efforts were rewarded when she won the award for Best Easter Bonnet in the school after the parade on Wednesday.

Chelsea said she was thrilled with the win and excited to hear that the hours she spent crafting the bonnet with her mum, had been extra worthwhile.

The winning bonnet was made using an old Gum Tree that had fallen over the creek in her back yard.

Chelsea gathered sticks and created a triangular base to hold the structure in place.

She used pruned banana tree leaves to decorate the bonnet and cut little bilby shapes out of the leaves.

“Bilbies are the new Easter bunnies!” sad Chelsea.

“I loved this project and I think that more people could get involved because it was compostable, although it was definitely more challenging.

“I put mine in the garden so it could break down and when I checked yesterday it had already started!”

Chelsea was given a box of Easter goodies as a prize.

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Chelsea Baines in her compostable Easter Bonnet

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Seven communities came together throughout March to recognise and celebrate the powerhouse women in the Isaac region.

Nominees included local female role models and leaders, as well as being mothers, grandmothers, sisters, wives and daughters.

The theme for Queensland Women's Week 2023, held from March 5 to 12, was Empower her voice; secure her future.

The theme is a celebration of women and girls who have stood up to be heard and acknowledges the fundamental right of every woman and girl to equally participate and be safe in all areas of society.

Congratulations to the winners!

Dysart

Inspiring Women in Isaac Award winners: Carmen King and Aleisha Kenny

Inspiring Young Woman in Isaac Award winner: Karissa Bailey

Middlemount

Inspiring Woman in Isaac Award: Lynn Davison

Moranbah

Inspiring Woman in Isaac Award winner: Amanda Raymond

Inspiring Young Woman in Isaac Award winner: Jaeda Maris Navarro

Clermont

Inspiring Woman in Isaac Award winner: Joanne Salmond

Inspiring Young Woman in Isaac Award winner: Leah Purnell

Nebo

Inspiring Woman in Isaac Award winner: Jessie Bethel

Inspiring Young Woman in Isaac Award winner: Jamie McDowall

Isaac Coast

Inspiring Woman in Isaac Award winner: Nikki Gayler

Inspiring Young Woman in Isaac Award winner: Serenity Box

Glenden

Inspiring Woman in Isaac Award winner: Leanne Fraser

Inspiring Young Woman in Isaac Award winner: Kristen Cant

_________________________

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Aleisha Kenny (right)

Karissa Bailey (right)

Lynn Davison (left)

Jaeda Maris Navarro and Amanda Raymond

Leah Purnell and Joanne Salmond

Jamie McDowall (left) and Jessie Bethel (right)

Serenity Box (left)

Leanne Fraser (left) and Kristen Cant. Photos supplied: Isaac Regional Council

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Whitsunday residents can now travel directly to the Hunter Valley thanks to new direct flights to Newcastle which commenced last Thursday.

Bonza Airlines will now travel twice weekly to the wine growing region, allowing locals to enjoy cultural weekends away and, more broadly, general tourists to experience both the vines and the reef within one holiday.

Whitsunday Regional Council mayor Julie Hall applauded Bonza for exploring new routes to make it easy for Aussie families in regional areas to reconnect.

“Connecting the amazing Newcastle and Hunter Valley wine region to the beautiful Whitsundays, heart of the Great Barrier Reef is a win for both communities,” she said.

“From the vines to the reef opens a huge catchment area that can now access budget direct flights to the wonderful Whitsundays.”

Bonza is Australia’s brand-new independently owned airline carrier and its head office operates from the Sunshine Coast.

The airline aims to reinstate affordable air travel and each hour of travel will cost passengers on average $50.

Bonza travels between the Whitsundays and the Sunshine Coast and Toowoomba weekly.

Newcastle Airport Executive General Manager Aviation and Air Freight Business Development, Andrew Warrender, and Whitsunday Regional Council Chief Operating Officer Aviation and Tourism, Craig Turner

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Bowen’s Chamber of Commerce is playing a guiding role in rallying the community for the redevelopment of the town’s beloved but crumbling jetty.

Nearly 100 people gathered at Bowen’s Larrikin Hotel on the evening of March 27 to hear addresses by Bowen Chamber of Commerce Chairman Bruce Hedditch, chamber Deputy Chairman Tony Bale, and Regional Development Australia Greater Whitsundays CEO Robert Cocco.

The chamber special meeting was called to kickstart a community discussion over the future of the jetty, whose future is in doubt with the impending relocation of three North Queensland Bulk Ports trawlers, which are based on one of the two arms of the facility. They are to be based in another location because of the present two-hour each way trip to and from the coal-loading facility at Abbot Point.

Under the terms of the land lease, if there is no further use and revenue-raising capability of the jetty, there was an obligation on Bowen to dismantle it, according to Bruce Hedditch.

“We need to develop a plan for when things change in the current use of the jetty,” he said.

Tony Bale spoke of the historical use of the 750 metre-long jetty, which was built from 1865-1867 and played an important role in the town’s early primary industries, as a coal port (until the 1970s) and as part of a naval base.

At its peak, industry gathered around the jetty employed 600 people.

It featured extensive use of Tasmanian hardwood in major timber work, and new foundation works in the early decades of the 20th century used the new process of steel-reinforced concrete.

Up to four ships at a time could be handled by the facility, which was serviced by a now gone rail link. However, the condition of the jetty is now poor.

“It’s not going to fall down tomorrow; the old girl will still be here for a time yet,” Mr Bale said.

He said some of the major timber work had rotted or been damaged by past cyclonic activity and some of the concrete foundations on the two jetty pads were now suffering from concrete spalling, where the steel in the concrete was now rusting.

There had already been more than 50 ideas generated for the jetty’s future so far, Mr Bale said,  in categories such as tourism; water activities; retail and hospitality; historical exhibits; environment centre; and accommodation in the jetty’s immediate foreground.

Bowen businessman Kevin Murphy is even proposing buying a mothballed ocean liner for its scrap value and floating it to Bowen to be sunk alongside the jetty as a permanent hotel/real estate fixture, which Mr Murphy claimed would more than recoup the $40 million needed to finance the project.

Mr Bale used examples of other jetty projects such as Redcliffe pier, Glenelg jetty, Broome jetty, Busselton jetty, and even Galveston, Texas and Sellin Pier, Germany, as examples where communities had rallied together to save and repurpose these much-valued community assets.

“The optimum idea is to get a blend of private and public investment,” he said, “but not too biased one way or the other.”

Rob Cocco said community backing was crucial to redevelopment hopes for the jetty. “They (the government) are looking for one thing: a community that is interested.”

Remedial works had been undertaken on the jetty, including laying down plywood along the walkway and handrail repairs, and even these works were now starting to deteriorate.

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Presenting options to help the Bowen community find a new life for its historic jetty are (from left) Bowen Chamber of Commerce chairman Bruce Hedditch; chamber Deputy Chairman Tony Bale;  and CEO of Regional Development Australia Greater Whitsundays Robert Cocco. Photo credit: Paul Gellatly

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Australians love having fun in the sun and a Mackay business is dedicated to ensuring that they do it safely.

Terri Thompson started the Dirty Oar, a line of sun-safe outdoor apparel, after she was diagnosed with skin cancer in early 2021, not long after having her first daughter.

“I was operated on twice as they didn’t get it all the first time,” she said.

“It was really hard.

“Having a newborn, being up all hours of the night, my husband had to take time off work to help me out.

“It was a stressful time.”

Around six months later, Terri had a lightbulb moment.

“We wanted to come up with something that could help people and educate people in sun safety, so we came up with family friendly, sun safe fishing shirts,” she said.

“We want to help people not have to go through what I went through.”

The Dirty Oar offers a wide variety of cool and colourful fishing shirts for blokes, ladies and the littlies.

Stickers, hats and stubby coolers are also available, and you can even have custom fishing apparel made to commemorate that mammoth trip to the cape or dress your staff in style.

“It’s fishing apparel but it’s family friendly sun safe apparel, perfect for going camping or trips to the Cape, things like that,” Terri said.

While the business is run predominantly online, Terri will personally deliver throughout Mackay free of charge.

Not only is the Dirty Oar keeping the people of Mackay, Queensland and Australia sun safe, a portion of every sale also gets donated to Skin Cancer Australia.

“I feel we are so blessed to have this opportunity to help others,” Terri said.

Terri says one of the best parts of being a woman in business is being her own boss and having more time to spend with her family.

They’re an outdoors family, thriving when they’re fishing, camping and boating, their Dirty Oar shirts keeping protected from the sun for years to come.

Get To Know Terri

Star sign: Leo

Favourite movie: The Conjuring

Favourite holiday destination: Port Douglas

Favourite Music: Chilled, laidback soft rock (think Jack Johnson and Pete Murray)

Favourite quote: If your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not worth chasing.

Best piece of advice: Just give it a go. What’s the worst that’s going to happen?

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Funding for youth services in the Whitsundays has been cut significantly this year and Member for Whitsunday Amanda Camm MP is concerned about the impact it will have on local initiatives for young people.

Ms Camm believes that youth services need more, rather than less funding for vital programs such as YouthSpace and our dedicated PCYC.

“It is unacceptable that the Government has cut funding by almost 40 per cent at a time when young people need to be our priority,” she said.

“There are services across our region that desperately need more funding and are ready to deliver more support on the ground for our youth - they can’t do this if Queensland Labor continues to slash funding for young people in our region.”

Ms Camm said the Whitsunday electorate has a higher proportion of youths under 18 and under 10 years of age than the state-wide average, with 23.68 per cent of the electorate comprised of under 18s compared with the state average of 22.37 per cent, and 12.45 per cent of the electorate comprised of children aged 10 and under compared with the state average of 11.99 per cent.

She believes that this demonstrates the Whitsunday region should be high priority.

“Today’s youth and the next generation of youth deserve access to critical services,” she said.

“The Whitsunday region is growing at a great rate. Our youth funding allocation should be trending upwards in line with that growth, not taking a 40 per cent dive downward.

“I have written to the Minister requesting full funding be restored in the upcoming budget.”

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Funding for young people is cut significantly

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Have you taken a great photo of beautiful Bowen or the iconic Big Mango?

As part of the Big Mango’s 21st birthday celebrations in May, Bowen Tourism and Business has organised a photo competition.

All you need to do is take a photo of the Big Mango or of somewhere else in Bowen and post it to social media with the hashtag #bowencelebrates.

Manager of Bowen Tourism and Business, Leanne Abernethy said they had already received some excellent entries.

“We have some great prizes of accommodation and tours in Bowen and the greater Whitsunday region,” she said.

“We are looking for creative shots of our iconic tourist attraction and beautiful photos of other Bowen landmarks including our eight secluded beaches.

“The Big Mango was named the Top Tourist Attraction in the Whitsundays in 2022 and we are looking forward to showcasing it and all that Bowen has to offer as part of the celebrations in May.”

The photo competition is just one aspect of those celebrations.

Chair of Bowen Tourism and Business, Jenn Honnery said this was just one way the community could be involved in the celebrations.

“We know how proud the local community is of our Big Mango and we witness everyday how much our visitors love our beautiful town and beaches,” she said.

“The #bowencelebrates photo competition is all about celebrating our Big Mango and showing the world how amazing Bowen is.”

Terms and conditions of the photo competition are on the Tourism Bowen website.

The competition closes on May 6

Contributed with thanks to Leanne Abernethy, Manager of Bowen Tourism.

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With Shirlz Russell of Build Your F’empire

Women face many setbacks when they look to save and set up for their futures.

We tend to have lower super balances than our male counterparts, whether that’s from maternity leave or part time work.

Some women start their own businesses, often in motherhood, choosing not to pay themselves super.

Additionally, if going through a divorce, women don’t always come out the other end as well-off as some stories portray.

I think women get the short end of the stick every which way you look, and I have that opinion because I’ve experienced it all.

Build Your F’Empire is all about helping women to create financial independence.

It’s about taking that control and making positive decisions towards building wealth and being able to retire comfortably.

I support other women in whatever roles they play, whether that’s owning a business, having a side hustle, whatever it may be.

I encourage women to own their own space and to promote and support each other.

In a previous role in the solar industry, I was helping people save money; that was my thing and I loved it.

Now, I’m helping people make money and it’s literally changing people’s lives.

It’s pretty hard to not get excited about it.

I’ve always had a really keen interest in property investment, starting on that investing journey personally and seeing great results.

I saw an opportunity to bring a female focus to an otherwise male dominated space and I took it with both hands.

It came at a time when I needed to spend more time with my family and now, I find incredible satisfaction in helping other women achieve the same.

I’ve literally had many of financial setbacks I’m here to say you can turn your life around and take control.

I’ll be sharing my thoughts in Mackay Life monthly, so make sure check in with me on the first Friday of every month as I share my journey as a woman in business.

Read on to find out a bit more.

Star Sign: Aries and Taurus cusp – either way, I’m very headstrong.

Favourite Holiday Destination: Tasmania

Favourite Music: P!nk

Favourite quote: It is what it is.

Something most people don’t know about me: I’m a qualified dressmaker.

Female Role Models: I am fortunate to have many what I would call surrogate mothers. I have lots of women that I look to and think of as a mother even though I have the most amazing mother myself.

Best piece of advice: Whatever it is you decide to do, invest in something. You won’t be able to save your way to retirement. You need to invest in an asset that will grow.

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The Wilmar grower marketing team has been busy talking to growers about the great prices on offer for the upcoming season and beyond.

It is good to see growers continue to average up their forward prices as the market posted new season to date highs over the last month.

The 2023 crop traded to a high of $665 and 2024 to $585. The outlook remains tight for the global sugar supply and demand equation.

With the northern hemisphere crops cutting out a bit quicker than anticipated, there is even more necessity for the upcoming Brazilian crop to get on the water as soon as possible.

Add in a volatile AUD, thanks to the recent financial uncertainty, and there may be the opportunity to see those prices again.

The high prices are also benefiting the tail end of 2022 pricing. For growers who have allocated tonnes to the Production Risk Pool, the forecasted price as at the end of February was just over $690/t Actual.

Similarly, growers who are using the GMPRS pricing mechanism have been able to lock in prices above $700/t Actual for any tonnes not yet priced.

One of the initiatives this year has been the introduction of grower shed meetings to give growers an update on factors that are affecting the price of sugar, as well as a reminder of other marketing products and services.

In the Mackay and Whitsunday regions, our local marketing consultants Angus McKerrow and Shirley Norris have been organising small groups of growers and presenting the latest Wilmar research on trade flows and market outlooks in an informal and interactive way.

It has also been an opportunity to remind growers that our Pre-Season Payment option remains open until May, for growers who need to boost their cashflow prior to harvest commencing.

From all reports, growers appreciate the sugar market information and enjoy the catch-up with some of their neighbours.

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Wilmar’s Proserpine Grower Marketing Consultant Shirley Norris addresses growers at a recent shed meeting

Wilmar’s Plane Creek Grower Marketing Consultant Angus McKerrow explains premiums to growers at a recent shed meeting

The introduction of shed meetings has created an opportunity for growers to get the latest sugar market information and socialise with neighbours

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Youth representation in our region is in safe hands thanks to the recent announcement that Year 12 Proserpine State High School Captain, Sam Rogers, will be the next Queensland Youth Parliament Member for the Whitsundays.

This exemplary student not only excels academically, but he is also a kind and passionate person who will put the needs of our region first as he heads down to the Brisbane Parliament later this month.

Sam said that it is early days, and he still has a lot to learn about the role, but he is excited for the adventure that lays ahead over the next six months.

“I’m really excited about going through the whole process and learning how parliament structure works,” he said.

“I’ve been assigned the rural and agriculture bill so that ties in nicely with our region and hopefully I can assist with some of the issues we face.”

During his tenure Sam has the opportunity to engage with other youth members from across the State to gain insights into how legislation is developed, and he will have the opportunity to engage with stakeholders from his portfolio of manufacturing, resources, agriculture, trade and investment.

Member for Whitsunday Amanda Camm MP will be guiding Sam through the process, and she says she is thrilled to be part of his journey.

“Sam is an incredibly talented young man who has already proven his capability and leadership,” she said.

“I'm excited to see Sam will bring to the Youth Parliament.

“This role is critical because youth represent a large proportion of our community and there is a significant amount of legislation that impacts young peoples' lives every day.”

Sam has already achieved more than your average teenager – he recently returned from America where he presented his robotic arm electronic sorting system in front of a panel at the Association for the Advancement of AI Summit in Washington.

He has also just flown back from Sydney where he was the keynote speaker at the National AI Conference and spoke in front of industry leaders, politicians and entrepreneurs.

During his travels, Sam says he has met many amazing people and established connections that will open doors for him the future.

For now, however, he is excited about making friends with his fellow youth parliament members, more connections that he is sure will benefit everyone in the future.

“It will be great to meet a lot of like-minded people,” he said.

“I am looking forward to thinking about the world and how we can improve it.”

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Youth Parliament Member for Whitsunday, Sam Rogers, with Member for Whitsunday Amanda Camm MP. Photo supplied

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Do you know why Post Graduate Training in an Automotive Facility is so Critical?

Interestingly a recent question posed by a Local Leader in the Training industry prompted this article.

How as an employer do I bridge the gap in training modules from what is learned in an Panel Technician Apprenticeship? To what is required in the industry today?

This question highlights a number of issues - the most important one:

There is a GAP:  Noting that there is no requirement as a business owner that I must provide additional training beyond that of an apprenticeship.

My organisation understands that as the technology in today’s vehicle expands to include Aluminium and Structural Steels – lightweight for improved fuel efficiencies - Hybrid and Electric Vehicles and their complexity and workings, we must continue to advance our skill set.

Since the introduction of I-Car Australia in 2006 we have provided post graduate training for our team so they could understand the intricate nature of what was coming.

This is an organisation dedication to Safe and quality repair of each and every vehicle.

Core modules required to complete a Panel Technician Apprenticeship Cert III have changed to incorporate some of this required information. The challenge is of course that existing modules need to remain for the foundation of this skill set to remain.

So without increasing the time of the apprenticeship – elective gaps open up.

For us partnering with I-Car allows us to exceed in the training challenge as we send our technicians for additional training to increase skill and knowledge from Welding Certifications, to learning requirements for new technology.

The potential for new pathways is opened with possibility to have individualised Technicians that can take the direction of Aluminium Specialist- or Electric/Hybrid specialist just to name a few.

In my faciality importance is placed on the understanding of the vehicle and why there is a need to fund and make this training available to our team.

Ultimately the consumer should be aware that this is an unregulated industry. There is no license required to own, or operate a Repair Facility. Individual technicians are not licensed.  It Is not even a requirement that there be a qualified technician in a facility. My advice is do some research and make sure you specify your choice when you need a Repairer.

Contributed by Andrea McCarthy from McCarty Panel Works.

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Regular training is essential in any automotive facility

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