For Year 11 student Tali, the decision to start a school-based apprenticeship through the MTA was sparked by family inspiration and love for heavy vehicles.
“I’ve got two uncles who are both heavy diesel mechanics,” Tali says. “I’d been thinking about following a similar path for a couple of years at school. Then I saw the MTA at a SAASTA event and spoke with them – they mentioned the dual trade opportunity and two weeks later, I was in for an interview. Now here I am.”
Tali is undertaking a dual trade in Heavy Diesel and Auto Electrical, hosted by Feist Motors, while completing Year 11 at Kapunda High School.
After spending time helping out on his uncle’s station, Tali discovered how much he enjoys hands-on mechanical work. “I’ve worked on cars a bit and helped on the station – I really liked it,” he says. “Now I’m excited to learn more with my host employer and get experience working on trucks. In my first week, we were already pulling out an engine, which was awesome.”
Tali’s goals are simple but grounded: “I’m just going with the flow for now – I want to finish, become fully qualified and go from there.”
Outside of work and study, Tali is an artist who enjoys painting on canvas and has already showcased his work in exhibitions. He also plays football in his spare time.
For Tali, the appeal of the automotive industry comes from its hands-on nature and endless opportunities to learn. “It’s great because I’m always building new skills and putting them straight into practice,” he says.
