Feb 24, 2026
Berri mechanic and TAFE SA graduate Thomas Otero has been named the Riverland’s top apprentice, recognising his determination to turn a childhood passion into a successful career.
At the recent Riverland and Mallee Vocational Awards, hosted by the Rotary Club of Berri, Thomas was presented with the Automotive Industry Award and the Apprentice of the Year Award.
The young mechanic who works at Roly’s Auto Services says he was surprised but appreciative of the awards which “are good recognition of the effort I put into my job and the industry”.
“I’ve had a passion for cars since I was little, I’ve always been fascinated by the mechanical side and the way it all works,” he says.
“When I decided to go into a trade, automotive seemed the right choice for me. I like the problem solving that comes with my job, working out what’s wrong and how to fix it, and it’s good to be able to help people get their cars back on the road.”
As part of his apprenticeship, which he completed in September 2025, Thomas studied a Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology at TAFE SA’s Berri Campus where he says he enjoyed learning from his lecturer, Jarrad Hamood (pictured above right).
“Jarrad knows his stuff. You could ask him any questions and if he didn’t have the answer straight away, he’d find it for you,” he says.
“He’d push us when he thought we needed to extend ourselves and he went out of his way to make the content engaging.”
Coincidentally, the two have followed a similar path. A decade ago, Jarrad was also working for Roly’s Auto Services when he was named Apprentice of the Year at the Riverland and Mallee Vocational Awards.
“It’s pretty incredible that we’ve won the same award exactly 10 years apart and worked for the same company,” says Jarrad, who joined TAFE SA as an automotive lecturer five years ago, excited by the opportunity to shape the next generation of mechanics.
“A big part of what motivates me to teach apprentices is watching their progression, seeing them start out saying, ‘I have no idea what this does,’ and finishing a unit confidently understanding how it works, how it operates, and how to diagnose and repair it,” he says.
Jarrad describes the automotive industry as a “people-driven trade” and sees his role as being a “bridge between students who are still finding their feet and the industry partners who rely on confident, capable technicians”.
Congratulations to all TAFE SA students who were finalists in the Riverland and Mallee Vocational Awards and to the following award winners:
We acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands on which TAFE SA stands.
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