At Ten4, we’re not just building trucks—we’re building futures. And that future includes growing the next generation of engineers right here in Northland.

Meet Luke Dayberg—a design technician, father of three, and one of the emerging leaders in New Zealand’s heavy transport engineering space.

From High School Hopeful to Full-Throttle Engineer

Back in 2019, Luke was just finishing school in Whangārei when the NZ Herald ran a story on him: “Whangārei teen Luke Dayberg scores $5000 university scholarship”. At the time, he was already showing grit, focus, and drive—qualities that would later make him a perfect fit for Ten4.

Read the full article here.

That scholarship offer was declined as his chose Auckland University due to it’s international presence in Engineering, showing his conscious choice of career path. Fast forward a few years, and Luke’s now using that degree to make a very real impact—right here where it all began.

From Uni Grad to Engineering All-Rounder

Luke first came across Ten4 while finishing his Bachelor of Engineering. With two young kids at the time, moving away from Northland wasn’t an option. So when he saw a local opening for a Design Technician, he jumped at the chance.

“I hadn’t heard of Ten4 before applying,” Luke says, “but as soon as I mentioned it to friends and family, everyone had great things to say about the place—and especially about Paul, Gareth and Shaun (The owners). That gave me confidence I was on the right track.”

Since starting, Luke has thrown himself into the thick of it. He’s helped deliver a wide range of custom builds, from crane trucks to mobile service vehicles packed with compressors, generators, and oil systems—all in compact spaces that require sharp thinking and real skill.

“Every project’s different. That’s what I love. One day I’m on the tools plasma cutting, next day I’m on CAD software designing the next rig.”

Learning Never Stops at Ten4

Luke came in with a solid education but quickly found that working in a real-world environment brought a different kind of pressure—and opportunity.

“At uni, time didn’t feel like money. But here, every minute counts. I’ve had to learn how to move fast, make smart calls, and keep quality high. That efficiency mindset is huge.”

He also upskilled rapidly on advanced 3D and 2D CAD platforms, developing both technical and hands-on experience through close collaboration with our production team.

Why We’re Backing Luke to Become Certified

Now, Luke’s taken the next step to become an LT400 certified Heavy Vehicle Engineer.

At Ten4, we’re proud to support Luke’s journey. It’s part of our wider commitment to future-proofing our industry, growing talent internally, and making sure the Northland transport sector has the capability it needs to thrive.

Fuelled by Family

When asked what motivates him, Luke doesn’t hesitate.

“Easy—my family. I’ve got three kids now, and everything I do is to create something better for them.”

Advice for the Next Generation

Luke’s got a message for anyone thinking about entering the heavy transport space—especially in regional New Zealand:

“Just say something. Knock on doors. If you’re interested, there are people out there—like Ten4—who will give you a chance and help you get skilled. The industry needs more of us.”

Final Word

At Ten4, we believe in backing people who want to grow—because building capability is just as important as building gear.

Luke’s story is one of many, but it captures what we’re all about: real people, doing real work, making a real impact.

Stay tuned—Northland’s next certified engineer is just getting started.