From the TasTAFE metals workshops to an apprenticeship with Incat, Jai is making the most of his opportunities

Jai Scoles has transferred his knowledge from TasTAFE’s Cert II in Engineering Pathways course straight into his apprenticeship at Incat.

TasTAFE graduate Jai Scoles completed a Certificate II in Engineering Pathways via Fee Free TAFE in 2025. Now he has an apprenticeship as a mechanical fitter with Incat, helping to build their iconic aluminium vessels for Tasmanian, interstate and overseas maritime markets.

Jai grew up in Lutana in Hobart’s northern suburbs, not far from TasTAFE’s Bender Drive Campus and Incat’s HQ on Prince of Wales Bay. After finishing Grade 12, he wanted to pursue his passion for cars.

“I'm very passionate about cars and working on my own car, so my plan was to get into auto electrics. Through Grade 11 and 12, one of my main classes was VET Automotive – so I got my Certificate I and II while I was at school,” Jai said.

“Then I started an auto apprenticeship at the beginning of 2025, but I found that when I turned my hobby into something I was doing at work every day, it killed my passion for doing it in my own time. So, after 6 months, I figured out it really wasn't for me.”

With his passion restored, Jai went back to tinkering with his car in his garage at home – before restarting his learning journey with TasTAFE in the second half of 2025. It was a case of right place, right time.

“I've always been interested in working with metal and fabricating, and I really wanted to learn how to weld,” Jai said. “I knew TasTAFE was really close to where I lived, and when I looked online, they were about to start taking applications for the Certificate II in Engineering Pathways course. So I submitted my details and went from there.”

Midway through his 5-month Certificate II program at TasTAFE’s Bender Drive Campus, a job opportunity at Incat came up. Jai applied and was offered an interview.

“When I went to my interview, I spoke about the experience I had picked up at TasTAFE over the past 3 or 4 months, and I think that was definitely beneficial. That experience also helped me transition into work, because I had that bit of knowledge under my belt – the techniques I learned at TasTAFE I was able to transfer across,” Jai said.

As a new apprentice at Incat, Jai spent his first few months in a training bay, learning job-specific aluminium welding, fabrication and hand-tool techniques.

“Because I’d done some welding at TasTAFE, I already had a bit of an idea of how to set up a welding machine and how to go about doing certain welds – it was definitely an advantage,” Jai said.

Looking back, Jai also appreciated his TasTAFE teachers and the contemporary, industry-standard learning facilities and equipment at Bender Drive Campus

“My teachers Alan Barker, Mick Tarvydas and Heath Wood were all really good – really understanding and supportive. If they saw you excelling in one area, they would push you to challenge yourself and try harder things, which was really interesting.

“And at Bender Drive, they have access to so many pieces of machinery and tools and welders that you don’t get to use in VET at school – a really wide array of stuff to build your skills with. It was really cool.”

Working at Incat, Jai has now progressed from the training bay to working on Incat boats themselves, fitting generators, pipework, motors, gearboxes and driveshafts after the main boat structure has been built. The parallels to working on cars aren’t lost on Jai: “There are a few familiarities, you could say – which is nice!”

Incat CEO Stephen Casey said the ship builder currently employs around 100 apprentices – something Incat is incredibly proud of.

“These young people are gaining hands-on experience on some of the most advanced shipbuilding projects in the world, right here in Tasmania,” Mr Casey said.

“They’re learning from highly experienced tradespeople and specialists, and they’re supported every step of the way through structured training and mentoring. For us, apprenticeships aren’t just about workforce development, they’re about building the future of our industry.”

Jai’s apprenticeship at Incat is keeping him fully engaged – and the skills he is learning on-site and in his TasTAFE Certificate III in Engineering – Mechanical Trade training blocks are upskilling him for a rewarding career.

“I'm very fortunate to have picked up a job at Incat,” Jai said, “– because it's a Tasmanian company, but it's nationally and internationally well-known as well. So I’m learning skills that could be transferable to other workplaces around the world.”

Who knows where Jai’s TasTAFE training will take him – across the high seas? But it all started with his decision to sign up for the Certificate II in Engineering Pathways at Bender Drive Campus.

“I would definitely recommend the Certificate II in Engineering Pathways at TasTAFE. And with Fee Free TAFE, the only thing I had to pay for was my own gear, which I still use every day at work,” Jai said.

“A Certificate II is just a great thing to have on your resumé. Even if you don't end up using it in a job, you can really pick up a lot of skills within those 5 months.”

Explore TasTAFE’s Metals Trades training options, available at our statewide campuses.

L: Possessing basic welding skills learnt at TasTAFE worked to Jai’s advantage.
R: Jai inspects one of Incat’s latest builds: “I’m learning skills that could be transferable to other workplaces around the world.”