General News
27 November, 2025
Apprentice experiences life in the fast lane
An agricultural apprentice from Warracknabeal had the opportunity to experience life in the fast lane recently, joining the Red Bull Ampol Racing pit team for the 2025 Penrite Oil Sandown 500.
From working with ever-reliable, big, but usually measured-moving machinery to a modern and sleek vehicle capable of going from 0 to 100 in about 3.4 seconds and reaching a speed of around 300 km/h, Jamie Eckermann was in his element with the opportunity, having long been a fan of V8 Supercars.
The once-in-a-lifetime opportunity came through New Holland's apprentice program, which recognises exceptional contributions and the ethic of apprentices' work.
Mr Eckermann grew up on his family's cropping enterprise and was surrounded by agricultural machinery from an early age.
This inspired him to pursue a career as an agricultural technician.
As an apprentice in his third year at O'Connors in Warracknabeal, Mr Eckermann was selected for his attitude towards his work, attention to detail, and passion for his trade.
“Being a part of the Redbull pit was unreal,” Mr Eckermann said.
“It was so different from what you see on TV.
“The rush of seeing how the team worked together when everything is so fast-paced was amazing.
“It kind of felt like harvest season repairs with everything happening all at once, and you’ve really got to be on top of everything to get the job done quick.”
Mr Eckermann, who had to complete eight courses online before he could partake in the experience, got to Sandown in the afternoon on Thursday and was straight into setting up.
"Then Friday we had practice, and then there was a race Saturday and another race Sunday," Mr Eckermann said.
"I helped the technicians for the tyres with getting them swapped and cleaning the rims up, helping with the purge (removing air and replacing with nitrogen) of tyres and putting the fan on in the car during practice and qualifying."
When asked if he would consider swapping his agricultural future for one consistently in the fast lane, working with the V8s, Mr Eckermann laughed but said he didn't think that was on the horizon.
"It was definitely a good experience, and something I'd like to do now and then, but probably not full time," he said.
It's lucky then, that the branch manager at O'Connors Warracknabeal, Jason Schilling, said Mr Eckermann's ethic towards his work and enthusiasm was setting him up for a successful career in the agricultural industry.
“Jamie started as a school-based apprentice technician in 2022, then transitioned into full-time work, and he’s continued to thrive,” Mr Schilling said.
And although it looks like the 600-plus, eight-cylinder Chevrolet Camaro might be a bit different from your usual farm tractor, Gary Pertot, New Holland National Parts and Service manager, said today's agricultural machinery is every bit as sophisticated as the technology used in Supercars.
