For Aiverson Leonardo one of the best parts of being a line mechanic is being able to help the general public who rely on electricity.
“Being a line mechanic is not a simple 9-5 job. You could get called to a job at any time of the night because people’s houses have no power. But seeing their power restored is pretty rewarding, so there is a balance.”
Aiverson is a line mechanic with Waikato’s WEL Networks, and was a member of the company’s winning line mechanic team at the 2022 Annual Connection competitions in Levin. He’s returning to the 2023 competition with a new WEL Networks team at Annual Connection in Invercargill on September 19-21.
Aiverson says the skills competitions at Annual Connection are a great opportunity to connect with others working in the energy sector.
“You get to meet a lot of other people in the industry and really get to experience the line mechanic community. Even though we were all competing against one another, at the end of the day everyone would just get together and chat it up.”
The team is about to begin training for this year’s competition and Aiverson says time together as a team before the competition is crucial to success. “Whether it was training or just a normal work day, I think that time really allowed us to get to know each other and how we work. It builds trust.
“The support from our co-workers who came to support us was a huge boost as well.”
When it comes to his day-to-day work, as well as being useful to the local community, Aiverson loves that being a line mechanic means he’s able to work outside and work with his hands. “But, most importantly, I’m able to follow in the footsteps of family members who came before me, who are, or were, line mechanics.”
He adds that the team dynamic is just as important on the job every day as it is in a competition.
“You might not always have an answer for the task or problem you are trying to solve, and you are always learning everyday, but that’s OK because while you may not have the answer, the person next to you just might.”
Aiverson recommends a career as a line mechanic for those who like helping others, being hands-on with their work, and being outdoors. “Line mechanics are always going to be needed as long as people need electricity.”
