Repco renews backing for Capricorn Rising Stars Awards as 2026 winners revealed

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Repco has renewed its support for the Capricorn Rising Star Awards, the annual programme recognising outstanding automotive apprentices across Australia and New Zealand as the industry continues to face skilled labour shortages. AutoTalk Australia reports the awards, now in their ninth year, celebrate apprentices who demonstrate technical ability, commitment to their careers and leadership potential, and are open to apprentices across all automotive disciplines. ¹

Repco Australian Automotive national trade sales manager Mark Koplin, who sits on the awards' judging committee, says supporting the next generation of automotive tradespeople is essential. "It is critical everyone supports the next generation of automotive tradespeople throughout Australia and New Zealand," Koplin told AutoTalk Australia, pointing to record local new-vehicle sales and the growing age of Australia's more than 20 million registered motor vehicles as drivers of demand for tradespeople. He also encouraged more businesses to back the promotion and uptake of automotive trades. ¹

The programme is run by Capricorn Society, a member-owned automotive industry cooperative. Capricorn's own material describes it as one of Australia and New Zealand's largest member-owned organisations, established in 1974, connecting members with more than 2000 Preferred Suppliers and facilitating more than $3.7 billion in supplier sales last year. AutoTalk Australia cites a figure of more than 30,000 independent repair businesses represented, while Capricorn's 2026 release refers to more than 34,000 members across the two countries. ¹⁵

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Judging for the 2026 awards concluded in September, and AutoTalk Australia reports Carter Boyle as the overall New Zealand Rising Star and Jaeden Matteo D'Aloia as the overall Australian winner. D'Aloia also won the Victoria/Tasmania regional award. Other Australian regional winners were Ryan Buttriss (NSW/ACT), Zahlee Jaye Wheeler (Queensland), Taran Donovan (South Australia/Northern Territory) and Deklan Garcia (Western Australia). ¹

Capricorn's own announcement in September named Zahlee Jaye Wheeler, an auto electrical apprentice from Tinana, as the Queensland regional winner, recognising her leadership, technical skill and commitment to encouraging more women into trades. She began her automotive career as a school-based apprentice at 16 and works at Allweld Manufacturing, where she is a mentor to other apprentices. As a regional winner she received $3000 cash and was to be considered for the overall Australian title, which Capricorn said would be announced on 2 October 2026. ⁵

In New Zealand, Autotalk reports that Gisborne apprentice auto electrician Carter Boyle, 18, of Eastland Auto Electrical, was named the New Zealand winner. Boyle is completing an Automotive Engineering Level 3 qualification through the Eastern Institute of Technology while serving his apprenticeship. Capricorn Group chief executive Brad Gannon said Boyle had already earned a high level of trust from those around him, while workshop director Scott Wootton praised his initiative, reliability and technical capability. ⁶

Boyle's workshop achievements, as described by Autotalk, include diagnosing a remote-locking fault on a Toyota Aqua that other technicians had been unable to fix, tracing it to the ignition key reminder circuit, and working on projects repurposing EV batteries for off-grid solar applications. Boyle said what excites him most is how quickly the industry is evolving, particularly with electric vehicles, hybrid systems and growing electronics in modern vehicles. ⁶

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According to Autotalk, as New Zealand winner Boyle receives $7500 from premier partner Castrol, while Eastland Auto Electrical receives $2500 from Repco along with Workshop Whisperer's Superstar Service Advisor and Ultimate Team Advantage programmes valued at more than $5000. The awards are also supported by Repairify, The Automotive Technician and Blackwoods. ⁶

Capricorn's Queensland release lists the 2026 sponsor lineup as premier sponsor Castrol plus Repco, Workshop Whisperer, Repairify, The Automotive Technician and Blackwoods. AutoTalk Australia reports that national and regional award winners receive cash and prizes, with nominations open to Capricorn members, workshop owners, managers and supervisors. ⁵¹

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The 2026 programme marks a structural change: Capricorn is recognising overall winners in both Australia and New Zealand for the first time, alongside regional winners. Autotalk notes the change was introduced this year, and the cooperative's Australian releases show it was trailed in 2025, when region winners were recognised alongside an overall winner for the first time. ⁶⁵²

The awards arrive amid documented skills pressures on both sides of the Tasman. AutoTalk Australia reports that several automotive trades remain on the federal government's Occupation Shortage List in Australia and that the Australian Industry Group has reported a decline of almost 10% in trade apprenticeship commencements. In New Zealand, the Motor Trade Association has highlighted the impact of skilled labour shortages on automotive businesses. ¹

Capricorn's own 2025 State of the Nation report, cited in the cooperative's announcement of the 2025 overall winner, found that more than 50% of workshops struggle to find good staff and nearly 40% cannot secure skilled technicians. Capricorn says the awards aim to encourage more young people into automotive careers while recognising employers who invest in apprentice training and development. ⁴¹

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The 2026 cohort follows a high-profile 2025 cycle. Aftermarket industry publication Australian Automotive Aftermarket reported that Lachlan Madsen, an apprentice at Homebush Auto Electrical, was named the NSW/ACT region winner in the 2025 awards, before Capricorn announced in November 2025 that the 21-year-old from Lidcombe had beaten hundreds of contenders across Australia and New Zealand to become the 2025 Rising Star Apprentice of the Year. ³⁴

Madsen, known for his diagnostic skills, told Capricorn he hoped to step into a leadership role within five years, ideally managing or running a workshop, combining the technical and business sides of the trade. The 2025 Western Australian region winner, meanwhile, was Hudson Rhodes, a second-year apprentice at performance workshop Racing Dynamics in Malaga, whose Capricorn-cited work included leading diagnosis of a Lamborghini Huracan misfire and performance modification of a McLaren 570S. ⁴²