Isuzu Australia technicians chase gold in Japan

The top two finalists in Isuzu Australia Limited’s (IAL) National Technical Skills Competition 2019 are set to represent Australia at this year’s Isuzu World Technical Competition, also known as the I-1 Grand Prix (I-1 GP) in Japan.

The Australian event, held at IAL’s purpose-built training facility in Truganina, Victoria, saw the best Isuzu Trucks technicians from all over the country pit their wits and skills against complex, high-pressure tests, including a written examination.

The competition was a close one, with Matthew Radke from Black Truck Sales (Queensland) and Michael Primmer from Winter & Taylor (Victoria) emerging as the top two finalists.

Primmer and Radke, together with team coach Charlie Gracewood, will travel to Fujisawa to represent Australia at the upcoming I-1 GP on 30 October 2019.

Gracewood had previously coached the 2014 Australia team, seeing them clinch second place at the 2014 I-1 GP.

This year, Radke and Primmer will undergo an intensive three-week training program with Gracewood in preparation for Japan.

Participants of the National Technical Skills Competition are shortlisted based on stringent criteria, including results from the 2018 Isuzu Trucks Technicians Guild program.

The difficulty level of this year’s National Technical Skills Competition was also ramped up compared to previous years, according to IAL National Training Manager, David Smith.

“All the other countries who are competing in Japan have done the same, to match the everchanging and growing demands of both the competition and the general market, so competition in Japan will be stiff,” said Smith.