Veolia’s Ben Barker overcomes tragedy to triumph as Tasmania’s Apprentice of the Year

Veolia’s Ben Barker finished his TAFE apprenticeship a year and a half early despite struggling at school with dyslexia, and dealing with his mother’s suicide when he was 14, Ben found the hands-on work environment at Veolia helped accelerate his learning.

Tasmania’s Apprentice of the Year, Veolia’s Ben Barker, knows how to overcome life’s harshest blows and still triumph. 

At 14-years-old he lost his mother to suicide and, with an absent father, he was taken in by his grandfather who loved repairing classic cars and quickly shared that joy with Ben. Little did he know, that was a career defining moment.

“When my grandfather took me in I was troubled, lost and uncertain about my future but he instilled in me a passion for cars. One of our first projects was to restore an old Ford ute classic, and when we finished we went cruising Tasmania’s country roads with the windows down and classic rock blaring. It felt like they were kings of the world,” he said. 

At 16 years old I bought a four wheel drive and began disassembling it to see how it worked, that’s when I knew I wanted to be a heavy diesel mechanic,” Ben said. 

“Unfortunately, while I was going great in the garage, school was another story. I was struggling with dyslexia and the traditional classroom environment left me feeling disconnected and far behind. 

“Starting TAFE courses while I was still at school changed everything, it gave me the confidence I was missing. That hands-on learning showed me that even those who don’t fit the conventional academic mold can still get ahead in life. That is something I want to share with people like me who feel left behind by traditional education institutions.”

When Ben landed the apprenticeship at Veolia, he admits it was challenging at first but he worked hard with the support of his mentor, Mat Read, even in his spare time. In his second year, that hard work paid off when he was asked to join the 24/7 on-call roster that deals with emergency mechanical issues and promptly gets trucks back on the road. It was recognition of his successful development at Veolia. 

That additional responsibility drove him to study even harder, as he wanted to complete his apprenticeship as soon as possible to become an even more valuable member of the team. He achieved that goal finishing, what was supposed to be a four-year apprenticeship, in two and a half years. Most recently, Ben received his Certificate III in Heavy Diesel Mechanics.

Today, he mentors three other young Veolia apprentices, passing on the knowledge he gained from experienced colleagues. His leadership qualities also saw him participate in a partnership with the Beacon Foundation, where he took students through his work to give the next generation an insight into a career as a heavy diesel mechanic. At the end of the experience, the students nominated Ben as the most engaging Veolia employee across the program. He has now set his sights on building a new generation of mechanics, raising awareness of the sustainable career path it offers.

“As a diesel mechanic, you have a strong and long career in front of you. We’re seeing a national rise in the demand for skilled diesel mechanics as the older generation retires, and a lot of the skills we have to align very closely to those needed in the development of new sustainable technology, such as bioenergy plants, and energy from waste, ” Ben said.
“There are so many interesting problems to be solved in this field, excellent leadership prospects, and a multitude of career paths. 

“The door to this career opens through TAFE, not university. It can start at school or even after and it would suit anyone who has the drive to make something of themselves. Apprenticing as a diesel mechanic with Veolia has changed my life and I am certain that it could do the same for any other young person looking to build a career.”