Richard L Jenkins B: 02/09/1960 D: 03/08/2021
We were very sad to hear about the passing of Richard Jenkins of Oceania College of Technology. Thank you to Barry Paton for this tribute.
A person once stated ”Anyone can be heroic occasionally, but a gentleman is something you have to be all the time”. Well Richard was a gentleman all of the time.
He had a big heart and was always looking to help people. Richard was respectful of others and as a consequence was a recipient of respect himself.
Richard had been in the industry all his life. He identified an opportunity in Ipswich back in 1985 and started his own business detailing and touching up vehicles. The quality of the work soon attracted clients needing bigger repairs and vehicle restorations, so he added smash repairs to his stable and that kept him out of mischief for over twenty years.
After winning a battle with throat cancer, he concluded that the stress of running a small business and the proximity to toxic materials was not conducive to his healthy future.
Deciding to utilise his knowledge and experience, he opted to make the transition into vocational education. His opportunity to give back to the industry he loved.
In May 2008 he began the new career that would require him to learn a whole new set of skills. With his usual level of enthusiasm, he set about gaining the qualifications necessary and never stopped adding to his well of knowledge by always updating his professional development at every opportunity.
His students were the beneficiaries of his patience, knowledge, and encouragement, and always had a good word to say about him. The employers he interacted with appreciated having someone who had been in their shoes, to discuss work challenges with.
Barry Paton of Auto Trade College said, “Richard loved his work and it showed.” “He always put in his best effort”. “His expertise, demeaner and commitment was appreciated by our staff and clients alike”.
“When he was with us he was instrumental in assisting the developing an LMS which helped students progress in their apprenticeships, and employers understand where their apprentices were up to. Without his feedback and ideas, that project would probably never have been finished”.
A great communicator with a big heart, Richard will be sadly missed by all who knew him.
“Richard was the inspiration for me getting into the smash repair business” said Dave Taylor of Crawford Crash Repairs and Parts Check. “He was a family friend and after seeing him at work I thought that’s what I want to do. I also bought my first car from him. Many years later he was training my apprentices”.
Paul Kulpa from MTAQ said “Richard was always a willing trainer, who involved his students and employers in the training journey. He wanted everyone to succeed in the trade and certainly made a difference. We lost a true professional and he’ll be sorely missed”
The staff at Oceania College of Technology expressed profound sadness at Richards passing, referring to him as a key member of the team, and also a very dear friend.
Alex Dunn and Phillip Charlton went on to say, “Richard had an immediate positive impact when he joined Oceania College of Technology and successfully assisted us to grow the organisation in the paint and panel division”.
“He was a popular, highly respected tradesman, and highly engaged with his apprentices, always ready to provide advice and a perspective on any issue”.
He made particularly valuable contributions to the many apprentices he mentored, coached, and trained enabling them to complete their apprenticeships and become fully qualified paint and panel tradespeople.
Dunn said: “On a personal level, I will miss Richard terribly. He changed the dynamic wherever he was, with his tremendous sense of humour, warmth, and intelligence. When Richard was involved, you knew you were in safe hands, and everything would be better. He was simply incomparable”.
“I was able to keep in touch throughout all but the final stages of his illness, He continued to show a keen interest in how Oceania College of Technology was going during that time and to offer advice and guidance”. “Richard was a person who combined incredible achievement with great personal grace, and we will miss him and mourn him greatly as a colleague and friend. May he rest in peace”.
Richard’s legacy lives on through the students he taught and the businesses he helped during the last thirteen years. The cycle continues, with some of his previous students going on to own or manage businesses and are now employing their own apprentices.
He was close to and supported by his family throughout his illness, they have always been a priority to him.
Our condolences are extended to all his family and his extended Oceania work family.
RIP Rich from Barry and Marie Paton.