V8 champion Jamie Whincup mentors Komatsu apprentices

V8 SUPERCAR driver Jamie Whincup will take time out from the racetrack to help the next generation of Australian apprentices.

Revving up others ... V8 driver Jamie Whincup tries out a Komatsu PC18 MR-3 excavator during a mentoring session for apprentice heavy diesel mechanics at Komatsu Australia at Cavan. Picture: Mark Brake

V8 SUPERCAR driver and reigning champion Jamie Whincup will take time out from the racetrack this year to dedicate himself to the next generation of Australian apprentices.

As the number of Australian apprentices dropped by an alarming 14 per cent last year, the four-time Bathurst 1000 winner will be mentoring Komatsu apprentices in Perth, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne as this year’s V8 Supercar season progresses.

Speaking to heavy diesel mechanic apprentices ahead of last week’s Clipsal 500, the 31-year-old gave an insight into what it is like working in pit lane.

These stories also served as real-life examples of how having core values can create a successful workplace.

“The more I have a better relationship with my team and have friendships — as I was going on, the better I was driving — the better I would do the job,” he told the group.

“If we do the right thing by everybody else, we’re going to get (that goodwill) back. What goes around, comes around.”

Komatsu national apprentice development manager Gavin Manning says all its 200 apprentices complete its Apprentice Development System as part of training, which aims to not only give them technical skills but business and life skills.

He briefs Whincup ahead of his visit about what the apprentices are feeling in regards to the values who will then tailor his talk to them.

“These guys and girls get the opportunity to hear how the race team works. But the similarity between them — whether it’s the race team or Komatsu or any other business — are much the same,” he said.

Third-year apprentice Alex King, 20, said now that Whincup is no longer just a face on the TV the message sinks in.

“Respecting the opposition, that’s a big part — we’ve got a few big players (that we’re against in our industry),” he said.

For the latest jobs see CareerOne

###