Meet Ethan: The Apprentice Mechanic Living 'Safe Work is for Life'

For Ethan, safety isn't just part of the job. It's a mindset that extends beyond the workshop floor and into everyday life.

At just 20, Ethan is building a promising career as an apprentice heavy vehicle mechanic with Swan Transit, combining a passion for problem-solving, vehicles, and hands-on work with a strong commitment to safety. Whether he's maintaining buses, working on his own 4WD, or exploring the outdoors on a camping trip, the lessons he's learned through his apprenticeship continue to shape how he approaches every task.

This year's National Safe Work Month theme, "Safe Work is for Life," resonates strongly with Ethan. He believes the habits he developed at work, taking the time to do things properly, using the right equipment, and never taking shortcuts, matter just as much outside the workplace as they do in the workshop.

Recently, Ethan achieved another important milestone by gaining his HR licence, continuing to expand his skills while contributing to the safe and reliable operation of the Swan Transit fleet. Along the way, he's earned the respect of his supervisors, who recognise his strong work ethic, willingness to learn and positive attitude.

In this interview, Ethan shares his apprenticeship journey, the importance of safety, the people who have supported his development, and his aspirations as he works towards becoming a qualified heavy vehicle mechanic.

WHAT DOES THE 2026 NATIONAL SAFE WORK THEME “SAFE WORK IS FOR LIFE” MEAN TO YOU PERSONALLY

To me, “Safe Work is for Life” means safety shouldn’t be something you only think about at work. The habits you build at work should carry over into your everyday life.

As a mechanic, I’ve learnt that rushing a job or taking shortcuts can have serious consequences. Whether I’m working in the workshop, working on my own car at home or doing something completely unrelated to mechanics, I try to think about the risks and make sure I’m doing things safely.

At the end of the day, the most important thing is getting home safely to the people who care about you.

HOW HAS WORKING IN A SAFETY-FOCUSED ENVIRONMENT INFLUENCED THE WAY YOU APPROACH SAFETY AT HOME OR IN YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE?

Working in a safety-focused environment has definitely made me more aware of the risks around me, especially when I’m working on my own car at home.

I’m more conscious about using the right tools, wearing the right PPE, making sure a vehicle is properly supported and not taking shortcuts just because I’m working in my own garage.

I’ve learnt that just because you’re comfortable doing something doesn’t mean it’s safe. I’d rather take an extra few minutes to do something properly than risk hurting myself or someone else.

CAN YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF AND WHAT LED YOU TO BECOME A HEAVY VEHICLE MECHANIC?

My name is Ethan, I’m 20 years old, and I’m currently working as an apprentice heavy vehicle mechanic. I’ve always had a big interest in anything mechanical and I’ve always enjoyed working with my hands and figuring out how things work.

Outside of work, I’m really into 4WDing, camping and working on my own car. I spend a lot of my spare time working on my 4WD, whether that’s fixing things, modifying it or just getting out and enjoying it.

That interest in vehicles is a big part of what made me want to turn mechanics into a career. I enjoy learning new things and putting those skills into practice at work and at home.

WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO START YOUR APPRENTICESHIP WITH SWAN TRANSIT?

I was attracted to the opportunity to work on heavy vehicles in a professional environment and gain experience on a wide range of buses. I also liked that I could learn from experienced mechanics while getting hands-on experience and working towards becoming qualified.

I wanted an apprenticeship where I could keep developing my skills rather than just doing the same thing every day.

YOUR SUPERVISORS HAVE SPOKEN HIGHLY OF YOUR WORK. WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT BEING A MECHANIC?

I enjoy the problem-solving side of being a mechanic. I like taking on a problem that isn't obvious straight away and working through it until I find the cause and fix it.

I also really enjoy the hands-on side of the job. It’s satisfying to finish a job and know the vehicle is back on the road because of the work you’ve done.

IS THERE A PARTICULAR JOB OR PROJECT YOU’RE ESPECIALLY PROUD OF?

Rather than one specific job, I’m probably most proud of the effort that the whole mechanic group puts in every day.

Everyone works together to keep the buses maintained to a high standard and ensure they’re safe and reliable before they go back on the road.

I’m proud to be part of that team and to know my work helps keep the fleet running. It’s rewarding seeing the effort that goes into getting through the workload while still maintaining a high standard.

WHAT KEEPS YOU MOTIVATED TO KEEP LEARNING AND IMPROVING YOUR SKILLS?

My girlfriend has probably been my number one motivator. She’s always encouraged me to keep pushing myself and improving, especially when things get difficult.

I also want to become the best mechanic I can be. There’s always something new to learn in this industry, so I try to take something away from every job and every person I work with.

How has working on buses differed from what you expected when you first joined?

I didn’t realise how much it takes to keep a fleet of buses operating safely and reliably. It’s much more than just repairing something when it breaks.

I’ve learnt the importance of inspections, preventative maintenance, and doing a job properly the first time because people rely on these vehicles every day.

YOU RECENTLY GAINED YOUR HR LICENCE. WHAT DID THAT ACHIEVEMENT MEAN TO YOU?

Getting my HR licence was a pretty big achievement for me. It was another step towards becoming more capable in my trade and gave me another qualification that I can use in my career.

It also felt good knowing that the effort I’d put in had paid off.

HOW DOES HAVING YOUR HR LICENCE HELP YOU IN YOUR DAY-TO-DAY ROLE IN THE WORKSHOP?

Having my HR licence means I can move the buses around the workshop and yard myself, without relying on someone else to move them for me.

It also means I can take the bus for a drive when I need to diagnose a problem. Being able to drive the bus is really useful when diagnosing faults because I can listen for noises, feel for wobbles or vibrations, and better understand what the vehicle is doing while it’s being driven.

That helps me diagnose the problem myself rather than just relying on someone else to drive it for me.

WHAT WAS THE MOST CHALLENGING PART OF EARNING YOUR LICENCE?

The biggest challenge was getting comfortable with driving a much larger vehicle and understanding the extra space and awareness required. There’s obviously a lot more to think about compared with driving a car.

Once I got more experience and practice, my confidence improved.

WHO HAS HELPED YOU THE MOST THROUGHOUT YOUR APPRENTICESHIP, AND HOW HAVE THEY SUPPORTED YOU?

The higher-up mechanics and supervisors I work with have had a really big impact on my development. They’ve taught me a lot technically and have always been willing to explain things and show me the correct way to do a job.

But they've helped me with more than just the mechanical side. They’ve also shown me the importance of staying positive when things get difficult.

There will always be challenging jobs or days when things don’t go to plan, but seeing how the more experienced mechanics handle those situations has taught me to stay positive, work through the problem, and not give up.

My girlfriend has also been my number one motivator outside of work and has always encouraged me to keep pushing myself and improving.

WHAT OPPORTUNITIES HAVE YOU BEEN GIVEN THAT HAVE HELPED ACCELERATE YOUR DEVELOPMENT?

I’ve had the opportunity to work hands-on with different buses and a range of different repairs, which has helped me build my skills and confidence.

Being around experienced mechanics and learning directly from them has probably been one of my biggest opportunities.

Getting my HR licence has also helped because I can now drive the buses myself, which gives me another part of the job to take responsibility for and helps me diagnose faults.

WHAT ARE YOUR CAREER GOALS OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS?

My main goal is to finish my apprenticeship and become a fully qualified heavy vehicle mechanic.

From there, I want to keep building my experience and become confident working on more complex repairs and diagnostics.

Eventually, I’d like to be someone that younger apprentices can come to for advice and help, just like I’ve been able to do with the experienced mechanics around me.

ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS OR SKILLS YOU’D LIKE TO GAIN?

I’d definitely like to continue building my diagnostic and electrical skills because modern heavy vehicles are becoming more and more advanced.

I’d also like to gain more licences and qualifications as opportunities come up and continue learning about new technology and different types of heavy vehicles.

IF YOU COULD SUM UP YOUR EXPERIENCE HERE IN THREE WORDS, WHAT WOULD THEY BE?

Challenging, rewarding and supportive