The North Bega garage was named best workshop in NSW for 2016, a significant milestone for owner Anthony Dack. 

“We’ve taken out some of the smaller sub-category awards before, but this is the big one,” he said. 

“We were invited up because they told us we had been nominated for an award, but I saw other people there who are really good at what they do and I kept thinking someone else would win it.”

The surprises kept coming at the conference when Mr Dack’s apprentice Jayden Barnes was announced runner up for the 2016 apprentice of the year award, which considers all Bosch workshop apprentices across Australia and New Zealand.

“It was really exciting, I wasn’t expecting it at all, I actually forgot we entered into it,” Mr Barnes said. 

It’s not the first time one of Mr Dack’s apprentices has been recognised at a national level. His workshop proudly displays a number of apprentice awards earned over the years. 

“I enjoy having apprentices in the workshop and they always do well,” Mr Dack said. 

“If you give them the tools to learn, they’ll really shine, it’s so fantastic to see.”

Mr Barnes has just finished a three year TAFE course in Cooma, and is on track to finish his apprenticeship and become a qualified mechanic at the end of next year.

The apprentice credits his award to his supportive mentor and the good relationship he has with the rest of the workshop staff. 

“It’s a really good environment here, I’m learning new things all the time,” he said. 

Mr Dack believes Mr Barnes will make a great technician, and told his apprentice he can stay on at the workshop as long as he wants.