From washing planes to supporting training for award-winning apprentices

When John Terry finished school in London to become an apprentice electrician, it was 1982, and the UK’s unemployed population hit 4 million. Times were tough back then, and John learnt quickly not to waste opportunities in life.

Few people can say they’ve washed an aeroplane, but John can! Landing a job installing automatic vehicle washing equipment, John managed equipment for car, bus, and train washes through to aeroplane washes. He learned new skills like engineering, plumbing, pneumatics, hydraulics, PLC programming, and water reclamation systems.

Management and work in Europe followed opening doors for John to deliver training programmes for his employer, where he thrived.

Boldly moving to New Zealand in 2006, John first worked as an electrician, then as a technical and sales manager responsible for staff training, before landing a job requiring him to upskill his knowledge of security systems. Never saying no to a good opportunity, John seized the chance to move into the fire protection sector as a supervisor, where he quickly had to learn a whole new skill set. Undertaking what was then a Fire Tech Level 4 Fire Alarm and Detection Systems qualification, John worked his way up to be a branch manager in charge of training once again. Training was his destiny – today it underscores John’s work as a Competenz Training Advisor.

Based in Christchurch, John works with Fire Protection learners and employers all over the South Island (except for the Marlborough region).

We asked John three questions about the job he loves to do.

You have switched trades careers. Do you think it’s easy for tradies to do this because they’re naturally practical learners?

Absolutely. I've always been a hands-on person with a will to succeed in any challenge I set myself.

A good understanding of electrical circuits and drawings served me well within the fire industry, which has helped me pass on my knowledge.

What is the hardest part of changing career direction?

When I switched to the security and fire protection sectors, it was returning to the challenge mindset again, especially as it was not something I thought I would need to do again.

What part of your job do you enjoy the most?

Engaging with the learner and seeing their achievements.

I get a real buzz from seeing my learners graduate and win awards. I won the 2023 and joint 2024 Fire NZ Learner of the Year awards and was a runner-up in 2022. My learners won these awards, but I can still brag and say I won!  Of course, I will give it another shot next year.

For some, it’s their first accolade, and for others, it’s been twenty years plus and yet, with the right encouragement and mentorship, everybody can achieve what they set out to do.  

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“The key to being successful as a Training Advisor is being able to relate to the learner and the employer and explain the technical aspects of the trade and the qual’ in an easily understood way. John excels in this space. He has wide experience in the fire protection industry, which allows him to support learners within the differing strands of the fire protection trade. He also has connections across the industry from working for key New Zealand companies. And watch out for his very sharp sense of humour!”

Kevin Withell - Competenz Specialty Trades Manager

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