Rotary Club of Timaru South Inc.

MEDIA RELEASE

Rotary Club of Timaru South honours local tradesmen

Kindy playmates go on to win Rotary workmanship award

A childhood friendship between two Timaru kindergarten playmates, where dad’s garage became a test-bed for boyhood creations such as dobbins and the dismantling of perfectly good apparatus such as clocks and lawnmowers “to see how they worked”, has paved the way for the pair, now young tradesmen, to win a prestigious international Rotary award for pride in workmanship.

Auto electrician Ryan Austin and engineer Colin Southgate, both now 25, were presented with Rotary International’s Pride of Workmanship Award at a special Rotary Timaru South function in March.

The award was established by Rotary International in 1976 and is designed to encourage employers, through Rotary, to recognise employees displaying talent and a positive workplace attitude. Approximately 16,000 people have received the award worldwide.

Presenting the awards South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce president Steve Lyttle paid tribute to the strong family values both Ryan and Colin had displayed, each working in well-known and respected family businesses in Timaru.

“They have shown both motivation and commitment to their trades and that was precisely what we need to trade our way out of this recession.

“The chamber applauds the values these two young citizens have shown. Their type of commitment is sadly lacking among some of our young workers today,” Mr Lyttle said.

“Trade certification requires a lot of effort and we should be celebrating this type of success in business.”

Mr Lyttle said the recipients were role models – “great community-type people of the future”.

Rotary Timaru South secretary Des Kearns said criteria for selecting recipients were job competence, punctuality, consistency of effort, interest and enthusiasm, initiative to work independently, and the maintenance of a pleasant, yet businesslike relationship with co-workers and customers.

“This award epitomises the ideal of doing the job right the first time, and our two recipients are indeed worthy winners,” Mr Kearns said.

Ryan works in a family auto-electrical business in Timaru, Austin Auto Electric, and Colin has undertaken a trade in engineering and sheet-metal work at A F Southgate and Sons.

But it was the childhood tinkering and a lifelong friendship that began at kindergarten that laid the groundwork for their business success, first as young apprentices and later as tradespersons in their respective fields.

Mr Kearns said that from an early age Ryan had showed interest in the mechanical workings of things.

“Ryan and Colin had a close friendship being neighbours and started kindergarten and school together,” he said.

They would spend long hours in the garage building dobbins to race down Stafford Street, he said.

It was an experience that also set the scene for automotive interests that included kart racing now car racing as a member of the South Canterbury Car Club.

Ryan said he had recently repowered a Toyota race car and with the help of Colin’s welding of the inlet manifold and spoiler, he was now enjoying the challenge of racing.

The automotive electrical industry was now extremely complex, he said.

“Where once we attended to simple car electrical problems such as ignition and lighting, we are now dealing with electronic devices that control sensor braking, suspension control, electronic fuel injection, air bags and reversing sensors.”

As manager of a sheet-metal shop, Colin has enjoyed a high profile in South Canterbury industry including the local fishing fleet and trucking industry.

He oversees general maintenance of some fishing vessels including the making and fitting of conveyors.

Mr Kearns said Rotary South was also impressed with Colin’s abilities in automotive engineering, a recent project being the manufacture of five complete truck bodies.

Colin said this project also involved the fitting and mounting of other components such as fuel and hydraulic systems and air controls.

“I am delighted to receive this award, and it is taking pride of place on the mantelpiece at home,” Colin said.

--

Quick byte:

160 wds

A childhood friendship between two Timaru kindergarten playmates has paved the way for the pair, now young tradesmen, to win a prestigious Rotary award for pride in workmanship.

Auto electrician Ryan Austin and engineer Colin Southgate, of Timaru, both now 25, were presented with Rotary International’s Pride of Workmanship Award at a special Timaru Rotary South function in March.

Ryan works in a family auto-electrical business in Timaru and Colin is an engineer and sheet-metal fabricator.

Ryan, a member of the South Canterbury Car Club, said he had recently repowered a Toyota race car and with the help of Colin’s welding of the inlet manifold and spoiler, he was now enjoying the challenge of racing.

As manager of a sheet-metal shop, Colin oversees general maintenance of some fishing vessels including the making and fitting of conveyors.

Mr Kearns said Rotary South was also impressed with Colin’s abilities in automotive engineering, a recent project being the manufacture of five complete truck bodies.

--

Auto electrician Ryan Austin proudly displays Rotary International’s Pride of Workmanship Award, presented to him last month by Rotary Timaru South . . . “Where once we attended to simple car electrical problems such as ignition and lighting, we are now dealing with electronic devices that control sensor braking, suspension control, electronic fuel injection, air bags and reversing sensors.”

--

Engineer Colin Southgate, a winner of Rotary International’s Pride of Workmanship Award, has enjoyed a high profile in the South Canterbury sheet-metal industry including the local fishing fleet and trucking industry.

ENDS

© Scoop Media