AMA Group’s Isabella Turrise Named Aussie Skillaroo

AMA Group employee Isabella Turrise was named a Skillaroo at an official Team Australia morning tea with the Governor General of Australia at Government House in Canberra. The accolade qualified Turrise to represent Australia at the WorldSkills Competition 2022 in Shanghai, despite the event being cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, Turrise may still get to compete, with WorldSkills to host individual skill competitions in a number of countries and regions, collectively known as WorldSkills Competition 2022 Special Edition. The dates and location of each competition will be announced soon, with WorldSkills expecting more than 1100 competitors from 57 countries and regions to participate.

BASF and AMA Group said they will continue to ensure Turrise receives the best training available. As the exclusive sponsor of the Car Painting category of WorldSkills International, BASF will provide education through its Glasurit Refinish Competence Centre in Sydney and National Head Trainer, James Green.

Turrise also has the support of her current and former managers at two AMA Group sites, Peter Hardy of ARM Mt Druitt and Mark McLean of KSR Autobody, as well as mentoring by the Group’s General Manager Capability and Engagement, Louise Anderson.

“We’re all so proud of Isabella and her achievements through her apprenticeship, including her achievements at the WorldSkills National competition,” Hardy said. “Isabella is very passionate about the art of spray painting, has a great eye for detail, and has a huge future ahead of her.”

In addition to on-the-job training and workplace support, flexible work hours enable Turrise to attend off-site training at TAFE NSW and the Glasurit Refinish Competence Centre. Carl Tinsley, one of Turrise’s teachers at TAFE NSW, is also providing additional training. “This achievement is a ringing endorsement of the training provided by AMA Group and the opportunities that the organisation provides to young women wanting to develop a trade career,” Tinsley said.

Originally from Canberra, 23-year-old Turrise lives in western Sydney where she works at ARM Mt Druitt. After studying animal science and zoology, Turrise completed a Certificate III in Automotive Refinishing at TAFE NSW’s Campbelltown campus before entering the WorldSkills Regional competition in 2019, where her talent was quickly noticed. She completed her apprenticeship in May 2022 and is now a trade-qualified spray painter.

AMA Group and BASF said they share a common goal of promoting the automotive repair business as a desirable career path for the next generation of workers.

“The industry requires young, well-trained talent and BASF is proud to be a part of delivering high level training to the industry and to Isabella to help her reach her career goals within the automotive repair industry. We’re excited to see her success into the future,” said Kishen Khosa, Head of Coatings at BASF Australia.

AMA Group said it is committed to training more than its share of next generation leaders and skilled tradespeople through its “industry-leading apprentice programme”. The group has more than 315 apprentices across Australia and New Zealand, and aims to take on another 150 each year.

The two companies said Turrise’s commitment to self-development with BASF and building a promising career within AMA Group have led to successes acknowledged within the industry. In February 2022, Turrise won one of the two awards in the Technician / Estimator category at the Women in Collision Awards, and was recognised at the TAFE NSW 2022 Excellence Awards, winning Student of the Year, Apprentice of the Year, and Supply Chain & ECommerce Student of the Year.

“Isabella is a true representation of the next generation of spray painters and has the support of BASF and AMA Group behind her,” the companies said.