When taking on Ben Reilly, museum curator Bill Hewitt needed to qualify as an automotive technician to be able to teach him.

Mr Hewitt had been carrying out his own mechanical work, machinery modifications and repairs for about 64 years, but had to prove his knowledge before the Department of Trade would allow the apprenticeship to begin.

He said he had to demonstrate to TAFE lecturers what he knew and what he was able to do.

In March, he was signed off as an automotive technician class three, heavy vehicle and road transport.

Mr Reilly began his three and a half year apprenticeship in April and will complete units at Northam TAFE.

Mr Hewitt was born in Kununoppin to a pioneer family in the Mukinbudin area.

He completed his primary schooling at the Merredin Government School, which is now North Merredin Primary.

At the age of 16, Mr Hewitt studied to be an automotive technician in Narrogin before taking up farming in the Doodlakine district.

He has also been involved with contract shearing and the mining industry.

In 1991, he became a financial adviser in Nungarin before retiring in 2001.

Once in retirement, he became the chairperson of the Nungarin Museum and worked there full time as a volunteer.

The museum is a community owned, not for profit operation and receives only 40 percent of its income from visitors.

Sixty percent of the museum income is derived from turnover from the mechanical workshop which Mr Hewitt operates.

The workshop completes outside mechanical and engineering work for local farmers and has restored a wartime tank which was sold to an enthusiast.

Parts for various wartime relics can be reproduced in the workshop by Mr Hewitt.

Apprentice Ben Reilly will be involved in the restoration of a 1942 scout car and a 1942 General Grant tank which will form part of the museum’s collection.

The tank restoration is expected to take three years to complete.

Mr Hewitt said the museum was made up of pieces collected from around WA.

He said the building, which was part of the Nungarin Army Number Five Base Ordinance during World War II, is now heritage listed.

He said originally there were more than 40 building in the complex but now there were only eight left.

The building the museum uses was originally the vehicle maintenance building and during the war the complex had a staff of about 4,000.