An automotive technician in western Victoria is showing how new skills are helping regional businesses stay ahead of rapid change and growing demand.
Wyatt Tucker has expanded his family‑run Edenhope business, Tucker’s Auto Care, after gaining additional TAFE qualifications through Kangan Institute to prepare for electric and hybrid vehicle technology.
New data from the Employment Outcomes for Victorian TAFE Learners report by Nous Group shows 9 in 10 Victorian TAFE students achieve their employment goals – including those who use further training to grow an existing role or expand a business.
Wyatt is one of them. For him, adapting wasn’t theoretical, it was about being ready for what’s coming.
More skills. More services.
Tucker’s Auto Care delivers the skilled work a small town relies on. Smash repairs, restoration and refinishing – from everyday vehicles to farm machinery and classic cars.
As Victoria moves towards its net zero by 2045 target, electric and hybrid vehicles are becoming part of everyday life beyond the cities. This poses new safety and technical challenges for regional technicians.
Working alongside his dad Denys, Wyatt saw a clear choice: wait and react later or build the skills now so the business – and the town – would be ready.
What started as one apprenticeship quickly multiplied to four. Wyatt completed qualifications in automotive refinishing, body repair, electrical technology and air-conditioning over the span of nine years at Kangan Institute – a path that saw him build steady capability in high voltage electric vehicles and hybrid systems.
“With the cars moving into the EV and hybrid technology, you need to understand high‑voltage systems and how to safely de‑power them. That’s where the electrical side became so important,” Wyatt said.
Training that pays off - literally
At Kangan Institute’s Automotive Centre of Excellence, Wyatt trained on the same technologies now shaping the future of the industry and the impact has been real and it’s growing.
“It gives you a great preset for what you need to bring back home and develop your own business,” he said.
With expanded capabilities and growing demand, Wyatt and his family are in the process of building a brand-new workshop on 1.6 acres of land, creating space to take on more work and continue supporting the wider district.
“The need is huge out there,” Wyatt said.
“Everyone relies on each other. That’s why it’s so important to keep building and improving what we do.”
Watch Wyatt’s story:
