14/07/2026
The jersey Liz is wearing today tells a story.
Not just about family, but about curiosity, ingenuity, and the people who help shape the next generation of engineers.
Back in the 1970s, Liz's grandparents set out to make knitted jumpers for their family. When spinning wheels proved difficult to find, her grandfather built his own electric spinning wheel using the motor from a sewing machine. It was a practical solution to a practical problem, but it also reflected something that would define him throughout his life: a fascination with how things worked and a determination to find a way forward.
Born in 1903, he completed his apprenticeship on Model T Fords, but his real passion was radio and electronics. Although opportunities to formally study the subject were largely out of reach, he remained a lifelong learner, attending public lectures back when radio and electronics was a new and emerging field. Whenever Liz visited, he would share what he had learned all those decades ago, sparking the curiosity that would eventually lead her towards engineering herself.
Years later, Liz joined Tait as a junior type approval technician. She wrote to her grandfather about the radio equipment she was working with and the tests she was performing. Her grandmother later told her that he carried those letters in his pocket and proudly read them to visitors. Just two months later, he passed away at the age of 100.
Today, the jersey Liz’s grandmother knitted for him, which she inherited, remains a powerful reminder that engineering is about more than technology. It is about sharing knowledge, encouraging curiosity, and helping others see possibilities they may not have seen for themselves.
The engineering profession has always advanced through ideas being passed from one generation to the next – through mentors, role models, teachers, colleagues, and family members willing to share what they know. It's one reason Tait continues to support mentoring initiatives and the wider engineering community in Christchurch.
Because while technology continues to evolve, the principles that shape great engineers remain remarkably constant: curiosity, problem-solving, and a willingness to invest in those who come next.
For Liz, those lessons are never far away. Sometimes, they arrive in the form of a well-worn jersey.
