Complete Crane Solutions (CCS) has successfully implemented an apprenticeship program designed to attract youngsters to both the business and the industry.
Joe Regali is 21 and has been with CCS for 15 months. He started his apprenticeship with crane distributor WATM before moving to CCS. Joe is based in CCS’s Karratha operation.
“I moved to CCS to finish my trade and now I’m a diesel fitter and mobile plant HD (heavy duty). Working with the team at CCS has been really good for me. Josh John and the team made me feel really welcome from day one. I immediately felt at home and got straight into the work.
“I quickly developed great relationships with the guys and now it feels like I’m working with a bunch of mates. The more experienced guys were really generous with their time and happy to share their knowledge, and if I wasn’t sure about something I was encouraged to ask the question.
“The work is really varied. I’ll be based in the workshop some of the time and then out on mobile servicing calls, so no two days are ever the same. The type of equipment we work on is also varied and in any week, you will see me working on cranes, trucks, trailers, telehandlers or EWPs, you name it, we work on it. You’re always learning something new and there are always challenges that you haven’t come up against before which makes the work really interesting. Everyone is there to get the job done and have a good time,” said Joe.
Mason Demanuele is 18 and works in CCS’s Sydney operation. He started his apprenticeship with Liebherr.
“I started with Liebherr and when CCS started the Sydney operation, I was offered an apprenticeship with them. As there were a number of the team leaving to work with Josh, I decided there were better opportunities working in a smaller company.
“I’m in the third year of my four year apprenticeship, and I’m really enjoying the work. It’s varied and I’m working on all types of equipment, not just the one brand which I really enjoy. I also enjoy the work culture at CCS.
“The team has encouraged me to work freely on projects and make my own decisions, but the more experienced guys are always there when I need help. The more experienced guys have been great, and they are prepared to teach me everything they know. They don’t do a job without explaining what they are doing, and why they are doing it a certain way. They’ve taught me how to troubleshoot and eventually solve problems.
“Once I qualify, I don’t think I’ll specialise in any particular area, I’m just hoping to be a good all round service technician. I really enjoy the work I do. It wouldn’t be for everyone because there are days where you get dirty and oily but you grow accustomed to that. No two days are ever the same. I’m always working on different types of equipment and now I’m getting out more with mobile servicing which makes it all the more interesting,” said Mason.
Digby Ellis is just over two years into his four year apprenticeship and works in the WA operation of CCS.
“I joined CCS having previously worked with earth moving equipment. I met a CCS employee and he was talking about the business, how dynamic it was, and what a great place it was to work with a really positive work culture,” Digby said. “I was looking for an apprenticeship at the time and thought ‘Yeah, I’ll give it a crack. What can I lose? It’s all nuts and bolts and ‘mechanicing,’ so I took the job and haven’t looked back. The business has always looked after me, providing plenty of opportunities to ‘grow’ along the way.”
Digby operates out of Perth and Karratha and enjoys working in a strong team environment.
“Obviously, we’ve got a number of juniors like myself in the team and then there’s a lot of experienced technicians. I love the work and there’s a good crew of boys, everyone has each-others back and everyone looks out for one another. It’s like a big working family.
“The experienced guys have been great, they take you under their wing and share their knowledge wherever possible. They want the best for you and everyone’s keen to teach you what they know, the tips and tricks and why we go about the work as we do,” said Digby.
“When I complete my apprenticeship, my aim is to be the best possible service technician that I can be, an all-rounder so I can take on a job and make sure the result is 100 per cent and high quality. The team at CCS prides itself on providing a service and workmanship which is of the highest quality,” he said.
The work is varied, which Digby likes, and there are jobs where he has plenty of time to prepare for a particular challenge.
“I move between Perth where my role is mainly focused on mobile servicing because we don’t have a workshop, although I understand the business is looking at this at the moment. It’s good to be out and mobile and meeting the customers in their yards.
“When I’m working in the Pilbara I might have a six or seven hour drive just to get to the machine, so you have plenty of time to think about your plan of attack. You have been given some information so most of the time you know what to expect. It’s the same in the workshop, we discuss a plan before we actually get to the job and then work together to execute the plan,” said Digby.
Noah Ratajczk is 22 and has been with the Sydney operation for eight months having worked in the AV and production industry previously.
“Although I’ve come from a completely different industry, I’ve always been mechanically minded and enjoyed working on my own cars and trucks. I wanted an apprenticeship, get qualified and get a trade so when the opportunity came up to join CCS, I jumped at it,” said Noah.
He’s been impressed with the ‘can do’ attitude of the Sydney team.
“From day one, the team has been really good to me. There is endless amounts of experience and knowledge in the team, which has been really beneficial. For every question, there is always someone there with an answer.
“It’s great working with professionals that are specialists in their field, you learn so much and very quickly.
“Another thing I love about the work is the variety of equipment we work on, no two days are the same. The good thing about CCS, is we work on just about anything from cranes, trucks and trailers through to EWPs and telehandlers. We get to work on a bit of everything, which means you never get bored,” said Noah.
“I’m now getting to site quite often which is good fun because you get to see different and unique locations. We’ve been working on cranes on boats, and you get to think on your feet because some locations are less than ideal for servicing equipment.
“I love the challenge of working on such a broad range of equipment because there’s pretty much an endless amount to learn. I’m always trying to learn and better myself and being a mechanic is one of the trades that really fulfills that,” he said.
Kai Young is 19 and at the end of the third year of his apprenticeship. He’s been working in the Karratha workshop for three months.
“I worked with Liebherr Australia in the Sydney workshop for the first two years of my apprenticeship which was a good experience. But moving to CCS has been really good for me mainly because I find myself working on many more types of equipment not just the one type of machine.
“Already, I feel the move to CCS is generating more confidence in my work and I’ve pretty much got my hands in everything now. It’s a great place to work and the more experienced guys are happy to share their knowledge with you and there is no such thing as a silly question.
“Everyone in the workshop is great and there is so much knowledge in the team and it’s all shareable. If you’ve got a question, you just ask, and someone will help you out. The team has come from a wide range of backgrounds, and everyone has experience on something, so you’re never really stuck. If you do get stuck, like I said, you just ask and everyone’s there to help. You’ve got a lot of support around you which is great,” said Kai.
The workshop is always busy said Kai.
“There are always jobs happening and there’s a lot going on every day. I get involved in multiple different jobs, and when I finish one, I’m straight onto the next, helping out the other guys. We are always working on a wide range of machines including crane, trucks and forklifts which helps broaden your knowledge.
“I work with a great team and everyone’s there to help. Like I said, if you’ve got a question, you ask it, and someone will have dealt with the same issue before and will have the answer. The knowledge in the team is ‘shareable’ which helps you learn quickly.”