Steve Soper

Diesel Mechanic

Diesel mechanic Steve Soper has been with Taylors for nearly 11 years, having started with the business straight out of school.

“I started off in the workshop,” says Steve. “Then, Taylors gave me an apprenticeship and I’ve stayed. I’ve been qualified for six to seven years now.”

Steve connected with the business via his involvement as a player with Wanderers Rugby Club, which Taylors has sponsored for a number of years.

“Wanderers Rugby Club were going to start up again and they needed some players. I wanted to be a mechanic and Charlie (Taylor) was looking for mechanics and one thing led to another.”

The workshop team was smaller back then, but the good banter amongst the team has stayed the same as it’s grown over the years.

Steve says that it’s the people he enjoys most about working at Taylors. “It’s a pretty good crew in the workshop. We all get on and have smoko together all of the time. I enjoy coming to work.

“There’s a good variety of work. I enjoy it here. There’s always different problems to solve, not every day’s the same. A lot of the time a guy in the workshop has come across the problem before. We talk about things and usually someone has a good idea.”

Even the recent challenges with longer lead times for getting parts due to the global situation post-COVID has been managed by the team, says Steve.

“We sort of knew that there would be challenges getting parts a while ago, especially bigger, harder-to-get-hold-of items, but Taylors was pretty onto it. It was well handled.”

Steve says that it’s good working for a business that has a positive reputation in the community.

“Mates are always asking how it is. They’re always seeing our diggers and machinery around the show. It’s a good thing to be out and about and seen.”

Steve says that he will always be grateful that he had the opportunity to come to Taylors straight from school.

“Massive thanks to Taylors for taking me on initially, and believing in me, and giving me the chance. It takes roughly about four years to do an apprenticeship and there’s all sorts of pre-trade and polytech courses these days. I just enjoyed going out into the workforce rather than going into polytech.

“Like any job there’s always good days and bad days but I think it’s a good job. People need diesel mechanics worldwide. It’s a good opportunity for young fellas. Some of the work’s quite heavy and physical, but if women don’t mind getting dirty and lifting the heavy stuff there’s no reason women can’t be diesel mechanics.”