Tech Awards a ‘dream come true’ for Bradley
Playing footy with his mates while growing up in the small Western Australian town of Esperance turned out to be the perfect preparation for Bradley Skinner to become a John Deere technician.
Many of those same mates are now his customers, and he’s formed plenty of new connections over seven years at the local AFGRI John Deere dealership.
“I got to know a lot of farmers in the region through the footy club, which has given me a more personal understanding of their operations and equipment needs,” Bradley said.
“That connection with customers is so important. It’s more than just fixing machines, it’s supporting them however you can, which sometimes can just be having a chat and being a familiar face.
“I remember during harvest last year while I was helping a customer, we were just chatting for a couple of hours about what he’s been up to. I learn a lot from farmers like that who have been doing it for years and have so much experience to share.”
Bradley also met the AFGRI Service Manager who gave him his apprenticeship in 2017 through the football club, following in the footsteps of his father and brother who both have mechanical trades.
Growing up working on motorbikes and cars on the family property, Bradley quickly became an expert on seeding equipment, tractors, combine harvesters, sprayers and attachments.
His personal service and willingness to learn helped him take out the Australian Agriculture & Turf Service Technician of the Year title at the 2024 John Deere Technician Awards, in his first year as a finalist.
“It was very humbling and quite surreal to know all the effort I’ve put in has been recognised with this achievement,” he said.
“It’s something I’ve always heard about, but actually winning was a dream come true.
“The whole experience was great, and I learnt a lot from the other finalists who all have different experiences and ways of approaching their jobs.”
The award was high praise, but perhaps not as high as that from one of Bradley’s long-term customers, Thomas Brown, who said he has “some of the best diagnostic skills I have seen over the fifty years I have been in agriculture”.
“Bradley has been an integral part of our farming enterprise over several years, doing all sorts of mechanical work for us from fuel injector replacement, software upgrades, electrical fault finding, hydraulic seal replacement, welding, installation of computer hardware, hydraulic hose manufacture and machine setup,” Mr Brown said.
“We have found him punctual, friendly and easy to get along with. Rarely has Bradley left the farm without fixing an issue, which is very important particularly in busy times of the year.
“He is responsible, trustworthy, reliable and an all-round decent bloke.”
On top of providing outstanding customer service, Bradley enjoys adapting to the technological advancements of John Deere equipment.
“Even from when I started in 2017 to now, the change has been remarkable,” he said.
“The technology around automation and precision spraying is really exciting, and I get to go on the journey with the customers in getting the most out of these upgrades.
“It keeps it interesting for me as a technician too as I’m always upskilling. Right now, I’m doing a dual trade to auto electrical. All our machines now are pretty much heavily reliant on electrical stuff, so it’s important to continue to learn.”