A New South Wales forklift apprentice has won an industry competition to study at Raymond Forklift Corp’s headquarters in the US.
[Image, right: TMHA National Skills Contest winning apprentice Andrew Borsato, with TMHA executive vice president and COO Steve Takacs (left), and TMHA president and CEO Terry Unnai.]
The US tour is being offered as part of Toyota Material Handing Australia’s (TMHA) annual National Skills Competition.
The winning apprentice, Andrew Borsato, is based at TMHA’s Coffs Harbour branch.
Borsato won the prize after competing in a two-day practical and theory test at the company’s Sydney headquarters.
Borsato is the second apprentice forklift technician from the NSW North Coast to win the award in three years, with TMHA’s Lismore branch producing the 2009 winner, the company says.
TMHA supplies the Raymond Forklift Corp warehouse product line in Australia.
Three fully-qualified forklift technicians also won prizes in TMHA’s skills test, each taking home a $2,000 voucher for skills development.
2011 marks the 20th year the TMHA skills competition has been running.
“The contest is designed to keep Toyota forklift technicians at the pinnacle of industry standards,” said TMHA technical advisor/trainer Gerry Larney.
“Toyota has always been at the forefront of forklift technician training in this country – and in fact pioneered specialist TAFE training for Australia's forklift technicians.
“We see the skills contest as having a direct benefit for our forklift customers, because a high skills standard among our technicians increases both customer satisfaction and workplace safety.”