Q&A
Mechanical engineering apprentice Zander Pringle, 22, is the E tū delegate for 60 apprentices across Fonterra nationally. His talents at work were recently recognised when he was awarded the prestigious Stuart Tolhurst Memorial Award, which is given to high-performing engineering apprentices. E tū and You asked Zander to tell us more.
What’s your story?
I grew up in Tokoroa and moved to Hamilton to attend Hamilton Boys’ High School. In Year 13, I participated in a gateway programme through school, which is where I first got exposure to mechanical engineering. The variety of work really appealed to me – doing something different every day. I was also fascinated by the size of the equipment we work on. I could immediately see myself doing that kind of work.
Tell us about what you do at work.
There’s a huge variety of jobs. I could be changing seals, replacing motors, doing preventative maintenance checks, or fabrication – it’s a wide range of tasks. It feels like you’re doing a different job every week, so you never really get bored.
Your own skills have been recognised with you winning the Stuart Tolhurst Memorial Award for 2024. Can you tell us a bit about that?
When I first found out I’d been nominated, I was thrilled – even just knowing my name had been put forward was pretty cool. It wasn’t something I’d ever really thought about. Then, when I was told I was a finalist, I started to feel hopeful. That’s when it started to feel real. Sitting there during the announcement was nerve-wracking, to say the least! When my name was called, it was an incredible feeling – first relief, as the nerves disappeared, but then they came rushing back
when I realised I’d have to give a speech.
As I walked up, the first thing on my mind was thanking my team. They’re the ones who trained me, and I see this award as much a reflection of their efforts as it is of my own work.
Why do you think it’s important to be a union member?
Unions are about togetherness. Rather than facing a problem alone, you tackle it as a team, as a collective. As the apprentice delegate, I represent over 60 apprentices at Fonterra across the country. It’s great for us to work together through the
union.
What do you think makes someone effective in the delegate role?
It’s all about having a solid understanding of the collective agreement. When people ask me questions about it, I always go back and double-check the agreement to ensure I fully understand their concerns. Collective agreements can be open to interpretation, which can make things tricky. It’s important to approach them carefully and give clear, considered advice.
What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?
I play football at the second tier of New Zealand football. I’ve played all my life and have been at this level for two or three years now. I’ve competed in national competitions, and I love the game.
What’s one tip you’d have for other members of E tū?
Communication is incredibly important. In my role, I deal with lots of different stakeholders across various plants. Proper communication is essential. Building good relationships – not just with your maintenance team but also with the operators and everyone else at the plant – makes the job so much smoother.