Date: |
16 Apr 2026, 4.00PM – 5.30PM |
duration: |
1 hr 30 mins |
Venue: |
John Britten 102 Conference Foyer, University of Canterbury |
Address: |
John Britten Building, 69 Creyke Road Christchurch |
Cost: |
Free event |
In partnership with the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Engineering New Zealand and the Heavy Vehicle Engineers Group, a small and committed group of engineers developed highly specialised knowledge assets and training content – including first principles design and analysis – to support compliant certification and consistent recommended practice.
The result was awarded the Fulton Downer Gold Medal in 2024. It comprised 18 comprehensive training modules across three programmes – a significant body of work, and a legacy that will be referenced for years to come both in New Zealand and overseas. Underpinning the training is a strategic vocational pathway designed to enable continuous development, career progression and specialisation, and attract newcomers to this important engineering discipline.
Further work is presently underway to produce a Code of Practice for Chassis Design and training material for manufacturers.
This presentation describes the project processes from initiation and solution design through to output, which may offer ideas for other disciplines to generate similar resources for their own fields of engineering work.
This event is a collaboration between the Heavy Vehicle Engineering Group, the Mechanical Engineering Group, New Zealand Society for Engineering Safety and the Electrical Engineering Group.
Presenter Bios:
Eleanor Laban is Engineering New Zealand’s Manager, Strategic and Sector Programmes. She spearheaded partnership programmes with government regulators who oversee engineers’ work in a range of disciplines, supplying them with independent technical advice drawn from experts in the field. The Solution Design work with NZTA and the HVE Group is a key sector programme, and has produced a dynamic vocational pathway, knowledge assets and training to support heavy vehicle engineers in their career development and practice.
Tina Wilks is a senior instructional designer whose deep technical insights and competence have enabled the development of award-winning training for heavy vehicle engineers. She managed experts in the field, codifying their knowledge into constructive training assets, resources and documented practice where there was previously none. The training has received exceptional feedback from engineers and is regarded as a gamechanger for the industry.
Rebecca Bohnen is a senior engagement and project manager specialising in the heavy vehicle industry and its regulation, from both the sector and government sides. Her industry knowledge and insights fundamentally inform the Solution Design programme. Rebecca currently manages the development of the Chassis Code of Practice, a complex, multifaceted document requiring multiple subject matter experts, robust technical review processes, and close liaison with NZTA as its commissioning partner.
Neil Rogers began as a Heavy Vehicle Specialist Certifier in 1988 at the inception of the certification system. He has been a sole practice consultant in heavy mechanical and heavy vehicles since 1992. Neil was a founding member of what is now the Heavy Vehicle Engineers Group (HVE) with numerous roles within HVE and was elected FIPENZ (FENZ) in 2006 as recognition of his contribution to the HVE Group. Neil was an integral technical review group member producing award-winning training alongside Engineering New Zealand and NZTA. The programme’s outputs are proving a gamechanger for the HV industry.
Heavy road vehicles underpin the New Zealand economy. Specialist certifiers maintain the engineering standards which keep the critical items of vehicle structures safe and reliable. Like many other disciplines, the expert members of this group are aging, and new recruits require specialist guidance and training.
In partnership with the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Engineering New Zealand and the Heavy Vehicle Engineers Group, a small and committed group of engineers developed highly specialised knowledge assets and training content – including first principles design and analysis – to support compliant certification and consistent recommended practice.
The result was awarded the Fulton Downer Gold Medal in 2024. It comprised 18 comprehensive training modules across three programmes – a significant body of work, and a legacy that will be referenced for years to come both in New Zealand and overseas. Underpinning the training is a strategic vocational pathway designed to enable continuous development, career progression and specialisation, and attract newcomers to this important engineering discipline.
Further work is presently underway to produce a Code of Practice for Chassis Design and training material for manufacturers.
This presentation describes the project processes from initiation and solution design through to output, which may offer ideas for other disciplines to generate similar resources for their own fields of engineering work.
This event is a collaboration between the Heavy Vehicle Engineering Group, the Mechanical Engineering Group, New Zealand Society for Engineering Safety and the Electrical Engineering Group.
Presenter Bios:
Eleanor Laban is Engineering New Zealand’s Manager, Strategic and Sector Programmes. She spearheaded partnership programmes with government regulators who oversee engineers’ work in a range of disciplines, supplying them with independent technical advice drawn from experts in the field. The Solution Design work with NZTA and the HVE Group is a key sector programme, and has produced a dynamic vocational pathway, knowledge assets and training to support heavy vehicle engineers in their career development and practice.
Tina Wilks is a senior instructional designer whose deep technical insights and competence have enabled the development of award-winning training for heavy vehicle engineers. She managed experts in the field, codifying their knowledge into constructive training assets, resources and documented practice where there was previously none. The training has received exceptional feedback from engineers and is regarded as a gamechanger for the industry.
Rebecca Bohnen is a senior engagement and project manager specialising in the heavy vehicle industry and its regulation, from both the sector and government sides. Her industry knowledge and insights fundamentally inform the Solution Design programme. Rebecca currently manages the development of the Chassis Code of Practice, a complex, multifaceted document requiring multiple subject matter experts, robust technical review processes, and close liaison with NZTA as its commissioning partner.
Neil Rogers began as a Heavy Vehicle Specialist Certifier in 1988 at the inception of the certification system. He has been a sole practice consultant in heavy mechanical and heavy vehicles since 1992. Neil was a founding member of what is now the Heavy Vehicle Engineers Group (HVE) with numerous roles within HVE and was elected FIPENZ (FENZ) in 2006 as recognition of his contribution to the HVE Group. Neil was an integral technical review group member producing award-winning training alongside Engineering New Zealand and NZTA. The programme’s outputs are proving a gamechanger for the HV industry.
