March 2023
Hayden's Heroes
Two South Island apprentices have had the experience of a lifetime as part of the elite pit crew for Hayden Paddon’s EV-powered tilt at glory in the Ashley Forest Sprint.
Mercedes Mulder from MTA member South Canterbury Hyundai in Timaru, and Lily Henderson from Transport Engineering Southland, entered the MITO draw not expecting to win, let alone discover another female apprentice on the team.
“I thought it would be a great experience to be part of the crew no matter what we had to do during the race, and meeting another female apprentice is really cool as well, I had never met one before,” Mercedes says.
Being part of the crew gave them an up-close real-time view of corporate rally racing with all the trimmings of a classy setup: a sign-written articulated truck, an inflatable fully functioning workshop with a one-of-a-kind state-of-the-art rally EV in the stable, and a crew uniform.
Lily and Mercedes were right amongst the dust and grime, getting stuck in polishing the car, tweaking tyre pressures, monitoring the battery top-up, and scraping the mud out of the wheel arches.
Both apprentices enjoyed the experience and found the crew amazing to work with.
Knocking on doors
Getting a start in the industry was no easy task for Lily, 20, who’s in her second year of her auto electrical apprenticeship.
After finishing the pre-trade course in January 2020 the hunt was on for an apprenticeship, but it would take nearly nine months of knocking on doors.
“I went to every workshop in town and some of them were offering positions, but I think they were a bit iffy about hiring a female.
Now she wants employers to realise that: “women are an asset to the industry and we are really capable”.
Motoring DNA
For Mercedes, also 20 and in her second year of her apprenticeship, the path to the industry was very different.
“I was working at the freezing works during a gap year after school and had bought my first Audi and a house with my partner,” she says.
University was not an option with a mortgage to pay. Mercedes had always wanted to be a mechanic and took the opportunity during the freezing works off-season of some work experience with South Canterbury Hyundai.
Mercedes loved cars, particularly European ones, and as her name suggests, they’re well truly in her DNA.
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Workshop banter
Both Lily and Mercedes says there’s always a bit of friendly banter in the workshop and agree the way to fit in is join in – or give it back.
“We can’t expect to come into the industry and expect everything to change for us,” Lily says.
Mercedes says she was already used to a bit of lip: “my family has the same sort of banter as well, so it wasn’t that much of a shock when I came across it at work.”
In the future, Lily wants to stay working on trucks as an auto electrician she says, so that when it comes to working on her Subaru or friends' cars it doesn’t become a chore.
Mercedes plans to stick to the mechanical side of the industry and is keeping her eye out for any opportunities that are on offer, like the one she just had crewing for the Paddon Racing team.
Hayden Paddon says it’s important to show apprentices the fun side of the industry.
“It was great having Mercedes and Lily as part of the team, they embraced the opportunity well and were not afraid to get involved which was awesome to see,” Hayden says.
“This is a new intuitive we are doing with MITO where most events we do in New Zealand will have two apprentices joining the crew.”
He’s a MITO ambassador for trades and has recruited MITO apprentices to his crew in the past.
The crew’s workshop foreman was a MITO student and worked with the rally team in 2018. Hayden was so impressed with his work ethic when he returned from overseas in 2019 he head-hunted him to be on the team.
What is your go to snack on a busy day or the food you crave the most?
Lily: Hotdog and chips from the Smoko Shop, that sounds bad but yip.
Mercedes: Probably pasta, it is not much of a snack, but I will have it no matter what time of day it is.
Most valued piece of equipment, tool or system?
Lily: My Milwaukee heat gun.
Mercedes: My wee Milwaukee gun
What’s your dream car?
Lily: A 22B Subaru coupe
Mercedes: Probably an Audi R8 if I was rich
Best purchase you have ever made?
Lily: My current Subaru
Mercedes: My house and my border collie dog
Most memorable motoring experience?
Lily: Driving my car round the Devil’s Staircase near Queenstown was a lot of fun
Mercedes: Going to the motor racing in South Africa at Zwartkops for my 16th birthday
Who has been an influential person in your life?
Lily: My mate Jarden because he got me into all this
Mercedes: My parents. They have gone through a lot and are very positive people
What country would you move to if you had to leave New Zealand?
Lily: Paris, France and the Eiffel Tower it has always been my dream.
Mercedes: Maybe Australia or somewhere in Europe.
