Meet Karl Wilson, Light Vehicle Technology Gold Medalist

Meet IMI Skills Competition Light Vehicle Technology Gold Medallist 2024, Karl Wilson from SG Petch:

Competition experience so far:

“So far the competition tasks, if I’m honest, have been easier than I expected. Just because, it’s kind of what you do every day at work and if you approach it that way then it takes away some of the pressure. The online test to get through was actually tougher as you have to be careful with some of the wording when answering questions. Overall, the competition experience has been good so far and everything at the qualifiers went smoothly, and I got through so now I’m just focused on the next stage."

Career journey so far:

"You know thinking back, I’ve always wanted to be a mechanic. I've always been into cars, so it was always a goal for me. Finding this apprenticeship was actually quite lucky. It was actually a friend of my mum's who knew I wanted to get into the trade whose son happens to be my current mentor! My manager, Mike, interviewed me and I got given the opportunity. I now work with one of our master techs, which is the best place to be as you see the most interesting mix of jobs which adds to my experience."

Future aspirations:

“We work with five different manufacturers, so my main aim is to achieve master tech across all five brands.  And of course, keep up with any new EV technology and skills that come about in the meantime.”

Employer and manager comments:

Karl’s Manager, Mike said: “I’ve been in the sector for a long time and I can tell you that Karl is an anomaly. He adapts to everything that’s thrown at him and has far exceeded what we’d expect from your average apprentice. His dedication to training is exceptional and he will always ask for more."

Advice for new apprentices:

Karl said: “Taking a step back and some time to think about what you’re doing is better than taking five steps forward in the wrong direction.”

Mike said: ”Take every training opportunity you can. With Karl, by the time I’ve signed him up for training he’s already found more he wants to do, and you can’t ask for more than that really."