Insurance trio announce apprenticeship program for collision repair

Insurance trio announce apprenticeship program for collision repair | Insurance Business New Zealand

Motor & Fleet

Insurance trio announce apprenticeship program for collision repair

The program spans three to four years

Motor & Fleet

By
Kenneth Araullo

AMI, State, and NZI’s specialized vehicle repair centre, Repairhub, are actively developing an apprenticeship program designed to attract fresh talent to the industry.

Repairhub is a repair service with facilities in Auckland, Christchurch, Hamilton, and more in the works. The program is overseen by a dedicated training manager, while support technicians in Auckland and Christchurch work alongside apprentices, providing guidance and support for their studies.

“The collision repair industry as a whole has been struggling to find enough talented workers for some time now,” AMI, State, and NZI executive general manager Dean MacGregor said. “And with New Zealand’s growing population, we need to ensure we’re set up to support customers when they need us.”

Gary Geeves, CEO of Repairhub, also stated the company’s ambition to expand the apprenticeship program, aiming to become the preferred destination for young individuals looking to embark on a career in the collision repair industry. Currently, Repairhub has 22 apprentices spread across its sites.

Repairhub program

Repairhub’s apprentices follow the New Zealand Qualification Authority’s Level 3 program, gaining exposure to all four sectors of Repairhub’s business: detailing and grooming, stripping and assembling, panel beating, and painting. Upon successful completion, trainees can progress to Level 4, where they specialise in either panel beating or painting.

The program’s duration spans three to four years, ultimately awarding trainees a New Zealand Certificate in Collision Repair and Automotive Refinishing and opening doors to employment opportunities in the industry.

To expand the program, Repairhub actively recruits new participants through job fairs, women in trades expos, school visits, and career days. The team is also collaborating with the Hanga-Aro-Rau Workforce Development Council to attract more Māori apprentices and permanent members to join the Repairhub team.

“Students who choose to focus on painting at level 4 get a chance to learn advanced techniques in painting and awareness of all the new tech coming through. Panel beating students in Christchurch have the benefit of our dedicated training area, which consists of two classrooms and an open plan workshop where they can work on cars,” Geeves said.

“This isn’t just about Repairhub, but about contributing to the wider sector as well,” Geeves said. “We work closely with MITO (Te Pūkenga) and other private repairers to ensure our training is up to date and relevant. Ultimately, it’s about ensuring we are leading the way in collision repair and are offering excellent service to our customers.”

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