Still Pumped After 21 Years: What Keeps Us Going at APT

Running a training business in the fluid power space isn’t exactly a glamour job.

You don’t do it for the applause.
 You do it because somewhere in the middle of a training session – usually when a student’s got their hands on the gear, mid-sentence, mid-skepticism – there’s a pause, and then:

“Ah… I get it now.”

That lightbulb moment? That’s the stuff.

After 21 years of training thousands of tradies, apprentices, engineers, and supervisors – those moments are still what keep us fired up.

But staying motivated doesn’t just happen. So here’s a bit of a look behind the curtain – what drives us, what we’ve learned along the way, and what really makes APT different from every other RTO out there.

What Keeps Us Going (Hint: It’s Not Just Hydraulics)

There’s something powerful about seeing someone grow in real time.

A student who walked in unsure, arms folded at the back of the room, leaves the course talking through schematics with their team, troubleshooting machines with confidence, or even leading the next job.

It’s not about teaching components – it’s about building capability.

That transformation is addictive. It never gets old. It’s what gets us out of bed every day – even after two decades.

We’ve said it before:
 We don’t just teach hydraulics – we help people build careers.
 And the day that stops motivating us? We’ll pack it up.

If We Could Go Back to 2004 and Give Ourselves Some Advice…

We’d say:

“Back yourself, but don’t rush. And document everything. Even when it feels obvious.”

When APT started, there wasn’t a roadmap. No template. Just a ute, a simulation program, and a belief that training could be better.

We made plenty of mistakes (ahem… 400L oil spill, anyone?). But if we hadn’t made them, we wouldn’t have learned what we know now.

We’d also say:

• Customisation matters more than polish
• Schem reading is a superpower
• And people will always remember how you made them feel – especially when you’re teaching them something that matters to their job

What Sets APT Apart?

We get this question a lot – especially from bigger clients comparing providers.

Here’s what we think makes us different:

1. We’re Not Just Trainers – We’ve Been There

We’ve worked on the machines. We’ve diagnosed the faults. We’ve been on-site, under pressure, mid-breakdown.

This isn’t theory. This is field-built knowledge, passed on in a way that sticks.

2. It’s All Custom, All the Time

We don’t do off-the-shelf courses. Everything is built to suit the machines, the site, and the team we’re working with.

That means students get exactly what they need, not generic content they’ll forget by Monday.

3. We Build Confidence, Not Just Competence

Anyone can rattle off facts. But it takes a different approach to help someone feel ready to take control of a system – especially someone who’s spent years winging it.

We teach the “why”, not just the “how”. And that changes everything.

4. We Make It Hands-On

Simulations are great. PowerPoints can help. But nothing replaces the feeling of using a spanner on a system, hearing the pump shift under pressure, or fault-finding in real time.

That’s why we keep our training practical, kinesthetic, and memorable.

A Note to Any Tom Out There

If you’re reading this thinking:

• “I’ve been around the gear, but I still second-guess myself”
• “I’m not sure I’d pass a formal test, even though I’ve been fixing stuff for years”
• “I know I can do more – I just don’t know where to start”

You’re exactly the kind of person we built APT for.

You don’t need to know everything. You don’t need to feel 100% confident.
 You just need to be curious, honest, and ready to get better.

We’ve trained plenty of guys who thought they were “just a tradie” – and watched them go on to lead teams, run workshops, or even start their own businesses.

You can too.

Final Thought: The Work Still Matters

In 2004, we started because there was a gap.

In 2025, the gap’s still there – it’s just wider.
 More gear. More pressure. Less time. Less training.

That’s why APT still matters. That’s why we’re not going anywhere.

We’re here to keep closing the gap – one student, one lightbulb moment, one custom training session at a time.