Phil Creighton – Topgun in Top Form

It’s no secret that at Hutcheon & Pearce, we pride ourselves on recruiting the best of the best through our TOPGUN apprenticeship program. Here we catch up with one of our star recruits, Phil Creighton from our Finley branch.

At the start of each day, apprentice diesel technician Phil Creighton knows he’ll face new challenges. It’s exactly what gets him out of bed in the morning.

Now in his final weeks of his apprenticeship, Phil is well on his way to being a standout technician.

“There have been plenty of challenges along the way, but with the daily challenges there are also daily rewards. You get to fix something every single day, so that means another happy customer.”

Throughout his apprenticeship, Phil has been recognised for his workmanship and enthusiasm.

In his first year, he won the Wagga Campus Apprentice of the Year at TAFE Riverina Institute and last year he took out third year TOPGUN Apprentice of the Year.

“I’m a determined person so I’m always motivated to do the best I can. Not because I wanted to be Apprentice of the Year but because I want to do well. But it is a nice reward for some of the effort that you put in.

“On top of that, this year I won the TAFE NSW Student of the Year for the region and was nominated for the New South Wales Training Awards, Apprentice of the Year. While I didn’t win overall, it was still great to be a finalist.”

Finishing his apprenticeship in August, Phil is keen to continue working with Hutcheon & Pearce.

“I’d like to work my way into a more dedicated technician role and see what the future holds.”

“I like the fact that it’s a large company, but you also feel like you’re only working in a small team. It seems like you know everyone, and everyone is happy to give you a hand if you ever need one. There’s plenty of room to grow, that’s for sure, but it doesn’t seem like you’re a drop in the ocean.

“I highly recommended our TOPGUN Program. I come from a university background and undertook Agricultural Engineering for 12 months but I got a bit over sitting in front of a computer. I like the practicality of this job. There is still huge amounts of technology involved but it is also hands-on. The facilities are superb and to top it off, our trainers are tops at it. It’s definitely a bloody good program.”

To learn more about our TopGun Apprenticeship program, visit:

2023 TOPGUN Apprenticeships Traineeships Info Pack