Golden Boy wins the Golden Gun
Talking on the phone with the 2021 Golden Gun Apprentice of the Year recipient Hone Angell and his manager Craig Pinkerton, you could tell right away just how proud they both were. Hone is working at Haddocks Spray Painters and Panel Beaters in Whakatane and has completed MITO’s New Zealand Certificate in Collision Repair and Automotive Refinishing and just been awarded Collision Repair Association’s Golden Gun.
Hone began in the industry and at Haddocks in 2019. The main reason Craig hired him was due to his manner, “When Hone came by asking about the job, we were advertising for, I could tell that he would be hired right away. He didn’t have any qualifications, but the way he presented himself, how his car was kept and his manner, I could tell that he would be a great fit for an apprenticeship.”
When asking Hone why he chose to enter the collision repair and refinishing side of the automotive industry, Hone said it was his interest in art. “I was always interested in the painting side, and I like to do art. There was a television show I would watch called West Coast Customs. They paint cars and have real cool themes and designs. I liked the before and after, so I wanted to have a chance and do that myself.”
During Hone’s apprenticeship, Covid-19 and the lockdown hit. However, to Hone’s advantage this gave him ample time to get up to date on his book work, allowing him to complete his apprenticeship quicker. “I would wake up and keep to a schedule of doing an hour of book work a day.”
While working at Haddocks, Craig has found Hone to be a pleasure to work with, “he is quite graceful, very particular in what he does. He is a quietly spoken guy, but his skill set, and manner are great. As he has matured during his time with us, he is starting to develop his leadership skills.” This was one of the many reasons why Craig put Hone forward for the Golden Gun.
Golden Gun recipient Hone Angell and his manager Craig Pinkerton
Although Hone says a bit of his win was due to luck, his hard work and excellent results along with the great support from Haddocks contributed. “My work helped me a lot when applying. It had a bit to do with your studying and learning; they could see your graphs of what you had completed. But definitely the kind words from my employers, a lot of them wrote a lot of nice things about me, was a big help in receiving the award.”
Craig mentions how the win has re-motivated the office and workshop staff, “We are all proud of him. We have gone through some hard times and seeing Hone receive this award is like that spring has sprung feeling, like waking up and seeing the sun shining. And we’ve all contributed, from the office managers, right through to his peers, it’s just really cool. We’ve been in the CRA for 10 years and 40 years in business, to get this award from the CRA on the 10th year is really great.”
Hone’s manner and professionalism is apparent when asking him about his future plans. He says his next steps are “to just define excellence where I am right now.” As for Craig, he wants Hone to move into the management side of the business. “My business partner Goose Haddock and I are always looking to the future and people to help with this, and I would love Hone to be a part of that future.”
