NEWS RELEASE 02 July, 2025
Kiwis to compete for John Deere Technician of the Year Awards
Crestmead, Queensland (2 July, 2025) — A trailblazing female apprentice, a part-time farmer, an accomplished linguist, and a technician who prides himself on his 'Kiwi ingenuity' are the four amazing New Zealand John Deere technicians who have earned their place in this year's prestigious Technician of the Year Awards.
The fifth annual John Deere Technician of the Year Awards honour the essential work technicians do every day to support industries critical to New Zealand's economy and rural and regional communities.
The New Zealand finalists will travel to Brisbane in mid-September to undergo a final round of intense technical testing, where they will be judged individually on their ability to perform hands-on diagnostics and troubleshoot real-life scenarios and customer challenges.
John Deere Australia and New Zealand Managing Director, Luke Chandler, congratulated the finalists, acknowledging the significant impact they have made not only in their dealerships, but also across their communities and the wider industries they support.
"Being a technician today is all about supporting customers and the industries that keep New Zealand strong," Mr Chandler said.
"They play a crucial role that calls for digital expertise, critical thinking, and the ability to solve complex problems. All of which keeps our customers up and running, boosting their productivity, and supporting more sustainable business practices.
"All the finalists should be incredibly proud. Their dedication, strong work ethics and commitment to delivering outstanding customer service has been recognised by their dealerships and acknowledged through the first round of internal judging.
"We look forward to hosting all our finalists at our headquarters in South East Queensland, where they will take on a range of challenging real-world scenarios, designed to test their diagnostic and problem-solving abilities and to determine the winners in each category."
New Zealand finalists will have the opportunity to compete for titles in three categories in this year's awards including Agriculture & Turf Service Technician of the Year, Construction & Forestry Service Technician of the Year and Service Apprentice of the Year.
John Deere Australia and New Zealand Customer Support Business Manager, Marko Koelln said it was rewarding to see some new contenders in this year's program, including New Zealand's first female service apprentice finalist.
"In the Service Apprentice of the Year category, Charlotte Giffin from Whangārei on the North Island is the first-ever female New Zealand apprentice finalist in this category and will be competing against five Australians for the award," Mr Koelln said.
"Reaching the finals is testament to Charlotte's skill and dedication to growing her career as a technician and showcases the career paths and opportunities for females within the industry.
"All our finalists have unique backgrounds, some with roots in agriculture or a strong interest in machinery, but regardless of how they arrived at their current roles, each of them shares a strong commitment to delivering exceptional customer service and seizing every opportunity to grow, learn and succeed in their field."
The Award winners will be announced at the John Deere Technician of the Year Awards gala event on Thursday, 18 September 2025.
2025 JOHN DEERE TECHNICIAN OF THE YEAR AWARDS NEW ZEALAND FINALISTS
(Biographies below)
Agriculture & Turf Service Technician of the Year finalists
(will compete for a NZ country Award)
- Bryce Dickson, Brandt, Whangārei
- Robert Fisher, Brandt, Cambridge
Construction & Forestry Service Technician of the Year finalist
(will compete against four Australian technicians)
- Alvin Gounder, Brandt, Whangārei
Service Apprentice of the Year finalist
(will compete against five Australian apprentices)
- Charlotte Giffin, Brandt, Whangārei
-
Bryce Dickson, Brandt, Whangārei
-
Robert Fisher, Brandt, Cambridge
-
Alvin Gounder, Brandt, Whangārei
-
Charlotte Giffin, Brandt, Whangārei
NEW ZEALAND FINALIST BIOGRAPHIES
AGRICULTURE AND TURF SERVICE TECHNICIAN OF THE YEAR FINALIST
Bryce Dickson, Brandt, Whangārei, New Zealand
The careers adviser at Bryce Dickson's high school didn't think he would succeed as a mechanic, and suggested he consider other options. Luckily Bryce ignored that advice and worked in car dealerships before transitioning to ag machinery, which led to his current role as Field Service Technician with Brandt, in Whangārei on New Zealand's North Island.
Bryce is a two-time winner of John Deere's New Zealand Agriculture & Turf Service Technician of the Year, demonstrating his superior technical skills and ability to solve complex problems. He loves the sense of fulfilment that comes from helping farmers optimise their operations and achieve better results. He is motivated by John Deere's focus on technology, which aligns with his passion for innovation and sustainability.
Customers Wayne and Nicky Preston, from Hilltop Harvesting in Mangawhai, run 14 John Deere machines and appreciate Bryce's ability as a quietly spoken, attentive listener with the rare skill of being able to explain things in laymen's terms. Bryce has trained Wayne and his staff in how to use John Deere Operations CenterTM and the AutoTracTM guidance system, and they describe him as "the oil that keeps the cogs of the business turning smoothly".
Bryce's family members are passionate horse riders, so he spends many weekends spectating at equestrian events. He calls himself a "twilight farmer" because that's the time of day when he can move his 50 breeding cows around their small farm.
AGRICULTURE AND TURF SERVICE TECHNICIAN OF THE YEAR FINALIST
Robert Fisher, Brandt, Cambridge, New Zealand
For Robert Fisher, the past 21 years working on John Deere equipment has flown by and he has enjoyed every step of the journey.
Fresh out of school at 17 and unsure of his next move, Robert landed his first opportunity thanks to a casual conversation between his mum and the wife of the local John Deere dealership manager. That break led him to the Cambridge workshop (now owned by Brandt) where he discovered his passion, built his skills and made lifelong friendships.
Over the course of his career, Robert has seen John Deere's technology undergo an incredible transformation, from simple diagnostics to the high-tech remote systems of today. Robert relishes the challenge of diagnosing a fault under pressure and once flew to a remote location for a job, only to find that his tool bag didn't make the same flight. Booked to fly home 48 hours later, Robert got creative with the contents of the customer's toolbox and applied what he calls 'Kiwi ingenuity' to get the job done.
Regular customer Michael Austin, from agricultural contracting business John Austin Ltd in the Waikato region, has worked with Robert for 12 years and said, "if Rob can't fix it, it can't be fixed".
CONSTRUCTION & FORESTRY SERVICE TECHNICIAN OF THE YEAR FINALIST
Alvin Gounder, Brandt, Whangārei, New Zealand
Alvin Gounder is a returning finalist in John Deere's Technician award category, and aside from his excellent technical skills, he has also mastered three languages.
As a well-travelled technician, his path to working at Brandt, the John Deere dealership in Whangārei, New Zealand's most northern city, started as an apprentice working on heavy mobile plant in the gold mines of Fiji. Alvin later served as a drill fitter, responsible for the maintenance and repair of drilling equipment used in the extraction of gold ore, followed by a stint as a diesel mechanic at a five-star resort on an outer island of Fiji, before moving to New Zealand and his current role.
Alvin's advice to those seeking a career as a John Deere technician is that it's a stable and rewarding job but requires dedication and a strong work ethic.
Award-winning forestry operator Luke Rosewarne, from Rosewarne Yarding, has watched Alvin's progression from performing routine servicing to independently managing complex diagnostics and major mechanical repairs. He said Alvin has a natural aptitude for mechanical systems, but what really set him apart was his humility and dedication.
"Alvin is always willing to admit when he doesn't have an immediate answer and seek out the right information to ensure the job is done properly," Luke said.
SERVICE APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR FINALIST
Charlotte Giffin, Brandt, Whangārei, New Zealand
Only one year and four months after starting as a service technician apprentice with Brandt Whangārei, Charlotte Giffin has already set the bar high for those who follow. She has completed levels 1, 2 and is 60% through her Level 3 Certified Technician training path, making her a third-year apprentice in half the time it usually takes.
Her interest in machinery is something she has always shared with her dad, and she loves telling him stories about the amazing John Deere equipment she works with, and the fact her chosen career provides a strong connection to home.
Charlotte is incredibly proud for thriving in what is typically a predominantly male field of work. As she reaches each new achievement, regardless of how big or small they are, Charlotte says her confidence is reinforced and she is motivated to keep pushing forward. She loves working on quality equipment, as well as the focus John Deere places on access to support and training to develop the best possible technicians.
Her mentor and Senior Field Technician, Bryce Dickson, said Charlotte is a trailblazer with her resilience, determination, and excellence, which served as a powerful example for other women aspiring to pursue careers in agricultural mechanics.
While she's a non-traditionalist when it comes to career choices, Charlotte has retro taste in music production and is a big fan of old-school music on vinyl and tapes. She said there's something special about that classic sound and the hands-on experience of analogue music.
ABOUT JOHN DEERE:
It doesn't matter if you've never driven a tractor, mowed a lawn, or operated a dozer. With John Deere's role in helping produce food, fibre, fuel, and infrastructure, we work for every single person on the planet. It all started nearly 200 years ago with a steel plow. Today, John Deere drives innovation in agriculture, construction, forestry, turf, power systems, and more.
For more information, visit John Deere at its worldwide website at JohnDeere.com or in New Zealand at JohnDeere.co.nz.
Copyright © 2025 Deere & Company. All Rights Reserved.
Media Enquiries:
Kate Scott
kate.scott@bluehillagency.com.au
0438 389 092
Sophie Day
sophie.day@bluehillagency.com.au
0408 935 885
Images of all finalists are available in Dropbox using this link.
