Victorian apprentice technician Jaeden Matteo D’Aloia has been named Australia’s Overall Winner in the 2026 Capricorn Rising Stars Awards, adding the national title to the Victoria/Tasmania Regional Winner honour he secured last month.
The 20-year-old from Eltham is completing a Certificate III in Light Vehicle Technology at Box Hill TAFE while undertaking his apprenticeship with Technique Automotive, a specialist European vehicle workshop in Melbourne’s north-east.
D’Aloia’s commitment extends beyond the workshop, with the apprentice also studying a Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Property and Real Estate at Deakin University.
Capricorn Group CEO Brad Gannon said the combination of technical training and university study demonstrated the qualities that had made D’Aloia stand out.
“Jaeden has already shown the sort of commitment that sets outstanding apprentices apart,” Gannon said.
“Balancing his apprenticeship with university studies while continuing to develop his technical skills speaks volumes about his work ethic and ambition.”
Gannon said the automotive industry was becoming increasingly technical and required people prepared to continue learning throughout their careers.
Technique Automotive owner Alex Hicks said D’Aloia had exceeded expectations from the time he joined the workshop.
“From day one, Jaeden showed a genuine passion for learning and an eagerness to get involved,” Hicks said.
“We’ve been able to trust him with increasingly complex work because of his ability to problem solve, his attention to detail and the pride he takes in every job.”
Hicks said those qualities could be difficult to find even among qualified technicians and the Technique Automotive team was proud to see its apprentice recognised nationally.
D’Aloia said the rapid evolution of automotive technology was one of the attractions of his chosen career.
“What I love most about the industry is that there’s always something new to learn,” he said.
“Technology is constantly evolving and every day presents a new challenge. I want to become a well-rounded technician who can work across petrol, diesel, hybrid and electric vehicles, and continue developing my skills throughout my career.”
The 2026 awards mark an expansion of Capricorn’s Rising Stars program. Now in its ninth year, the initiative recognises automotive apprentices across Australia and New Zealand, with Regional Winners and separate Overall Winners for both countries being recognised for the first time.
Castrol Australia national sales director Ben Rose said supporting the next generation of technicians represented an investment in the industry’s future.
D’Aloia receives $7,500 cash courtesy of Castrol, while Technique Automotive receives a package of prizes including $2,500 from Repco, an AsTech All-in-One package with a one-year Remote Services Licence from Repairify, and training programs from Workshop Whisperer.
The awards are supported by Castrol, Repco, Workshop Whisperer, Repairify, The Automotive Technician and Blackwoods.