Da Vinci Reservoir
School of Motion & Control
Da Vinci Reservoir
School of Motion & Control
“Resistance is futile, Flow masters motion”
This approach is rooted in practical experience, the foundation and fuel behind ongoing success.
Why Da Vinci Reservoir
Leonardo da Vinci was one of the earliest pioneers to study and document the principles of hydraulics. Just as a reservoir stores and supplies the vital fluid for any hydraulic system, Da Vinci Reservoir stands at the intersection of innovation and sustenance: where foundational ideas begin and where the energy to keep them alive is preserved.
Developed by a working engineer who truly understands your challenges:
Real components. Real failures. Real learning. Every module is grounded in practical experience, focusing on:
Knowledge has the power to shift your perspective and reveal new possibilities.
Cultivate a depth of understanding that transforms your perspective on challenges and accelerates your mastery of them.
Meet Your Mentor
Mechanical Engineer and Certified Adult Trainer · Over 40 years of expertise in fluid power.
Shane has delivered technical training throughout Indonesia, China, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea, working with multinational oil & gas operators as well as industrial and manufacturing clients. He holds a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment from Australia, and a Level 5 Adult Training qualification from New Zealand.
He is the author of the Fluid Power Forum newsletter and the developer of the Da Vinci Reservoir curriculum, aligned with NZQA Fluid Power – Hydraulics unit standards at Level 3. This comprehensive programme covers all 11 unit standards. Shane's training is grounded in real-world experience with actual systems, equipment, and failure scenarios, not just textbook theory.
This is not just another fluid power training programme where you buy the course and are left to figure it out alone. Here, we guide you through each module at your own pace. We understand that everyone has a busy lifestyle and an even busier social life. Our approach helps you work through one module at a time, making sure the evidence you gather is accurate and sufficient.
Who This Is For
This programme is built for tradespeople, fitters, technicians, and apprentices who work with hydraulic systems and want to truly understand them. Whether you're a new apprentice or a seasoned professional, you'll get hands-on experience: drag and drop components into circuits, trace flow paths through simulations, and solve real fault scenarios, before you ever sit an assessment.
The foundation your apprenticeship might not give you.
The methodology to back up what your hands already know.
Welcome. You probably have more to bring to this than you think.
The programme
From foundational theory to fault diagnosis, system testing, and advanced electro-hydraulic technology, delivered across four structured tiers. Each stage is grounded in real equipment and industry-standard practices from oil & gas, manufacturing, mining, and construction.
Course structure
Enrol in a single module, a full tier, or the complete programme. Each module must be passed before the next one unlocks.
Operators, apprentices and anyone new to hydraulic systems. No prior knowledge required.
Maintenance technicians and trades who work with hydraulics regularly. Prerequisite: Tier 1 or equivalent experience.
Experienced technicians responsible for troubleshooting and repair. Prerequisite: Tier 2 or equivalent experience.
Senior technicians and engineers working with high-specification or precision systems. Prerequisite: Tier 3 or equivalent.
Our courses
Every module is grounded in real equipment across the major fields of hydraulics. Explore the courses by the work you actually do.
Landing gear, flight controls and high-specification aircraft systems.
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Hoisting, slewing and luffing systems for mobile, tower and overhead cranes.
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Fixed-plant systems for manufacturing, processing and heavy industry.
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Deck machinery, steering and stabilisation for vessels and offshore.
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On-machine systems for construction, mining, agriculture and material handling.
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Advanced electro-hydraulics and precision systems for senior technicians.
View courses →Certification
Meet the requirements and you'll be awarded a Professional Certificate of Competency from Da Vinci Reservoir.
Pass a full tier at 75% or above across all assessments and you unlock downloadable, DVR-branded PDF versions of every lesson and assessment in that tier, yours to keep as a permanent field reference.
Enrol in a single module, a full tier, or the complete 22-module programme, and put real hydraulics on your CV.
Course enquiry
Complete the form and we'll send you further information and a detailed course brochure.
