With a workforce of 900 people, including 112 apprentices, Riviera’s Apprentice of the Year awards is an annual celebration of the depth and breadth of hard-working talent within the Riviera team.
At a special ceremony held in front of the entire Riviera workforce, four worthy winners were announced for 2022 across four categories: Claudia Le Fevre, second-year apprentice in upholstery; Simon Magnay, second-year apprentice in engineering; William Johnstone, second-year apprentice in boat building, and Connor Baruksopulo, first-year apprentice in timber and composite machining.
Claudia Le Fevre completed her second year as an upholstery apprentice in 2022 and says she had her sights firmly set on working with Riviera whilst still at school. “My family have always loved boats and I knew I wanted to join a trade,” Claudia says. “I started work just one week after my final school year ended. I was very nervous on that first day, but everyone quickly helped me feel at ease.
“I love working with my hands and now I work each day down at the waterfront fitting our fabulous upholstery to these fantastic yachts. The award was quite a surprise. I was certainly not expecting it,” Claudia says.
Simon Magnay moved from Casino in northern New South Wales to pursue his dream of working with Riviera. “I first saw Riviera yachts at the Sydney boat show and knew I wanted to be a part of the organisation that built them,” says Simon. “I have already progressed to working with the team conducting sea trials on the yachts. I had the thrill of working on one of the trials for the first 78 Motor Yacht. She is awesome.”
Marine Craft Construction apprentice William Johnstone was also attracted to Riviera after seeing the yachts on the water. “My grandfather had a boat and we often sailed past the Riviera facility and I just wanted to be a part of it,” William recalls. “At the moment I work on fitting out the interiors of the yachts, making sure that every component fits exactly. I was over the moon to be named an Apprentice of the Year. I work long hours and I love it. I am honing my skills all the time.”
Connor Baruksopulo admits he was initially nervous about working alongside older and more experienced people, but soon found a new home at Riviera. “I moved right in and everyone was so welcoming,” he says. “Now I am working on achieving my CNC certificate. I was stoked with myself to achieve an Apprentice of the Year award. My dream is drawing CAD programs for the CNC systems.”
Riviera’s safety and training manager Adam Houlahan says Riviera will continue to welcome young and passionate apprentices through its schools’ program. “All of the award-winning apprentices have a shared drive and determination found across Riviera’s 900-strong team, namely a passion for creating exceptional blue-water luxury motor yachts,” Adam says.
Additionally, the recently announced TAFE Apprentice of the Year was another achievement for the Riviera team with Max Whitmore awarded runner-up from a very large entry pool across the State. Meanwhile six apprentices have recently graduated through Riviera’s award-winning Propel program. They are: Tirryn Casey, Jack Fuller, Joshua Hindmarsh, Steven Kupfer, Brendan O’Grady and Thomas Jay Parsons.
As Riviera owner Rodney Longhurst attests, the up-and-coming workforce at Riviera has a bright future indeed. “These young members of our team are the genesis of the next generation of master boat builders for our industry,” Rodney says. “I began my own career as an apprentice, so I have been on the same journey, and share their excitement for the future.
“As we continue to grow, we are looking to recruit additional apprentices and keen to hear from quality people who aspire to join the world-class team we have at Riviera. Our apprentices are given incredible support from the exceptional Riviera team, who provide high-quality training and mentoring to encourage each one of them to excel in their careers and in life generally,” Rodney adds.
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