Northern's Top Building Apprentice
Announced
16 September 2021
The top three Apprentices from the Northern regions have been announced for the 2021 Registered Master Builders CARTERS Apprentice of the Year.
The Apprentice of the Year competition recognises excellence among carpentry apprentices and raises awareness of career opportunities in the building and construction industry. The competition tests our future sector leaders' project management, business, presentation, and practical skills.
For the regional competition, each apprentice had to initially submit a building project. They then took part in a two-hour practical challenge where they were tasked with building a shoe rack. The top 10 from each region then progressed to the interview stage with a judging panel and an onsite visit to discuss their project.
Kaya Hiliare from Belmont was named the Northern 2021 Registered Master Builders CARTERS Apprentice of the Year. Kaya is 24-years-old from Belmont, trained through BCITO and employed by Houseworks.
Kaya had a very impressive and well-written submission. He also had a strong interview and memorable site visit, where his passion and knowledge shone through. He thoroughly explained the work he carried out and was directly responsible for, which made it clear that he is highly committed to his craft. Kaya is a skilled and engaging apprentice, with a genuine excitement and interest in building.
Second place went to Sean Modrich, who is employed by NeoBuild and trained through BCITO
From the start, Sean had a very strong submission filled with detailed plans, supporting pictures and commentary. His industry knowledge was evident from the onset of the competition, which was then reinforced during his impressive interview and site visit. Sean is driven, focused, had a great understanding of his complex and challenging build, and had an appreciation for the materials he was using. Overall, Sean had a solid application and is an impressive carpenter operating at a high level.
Third place went to Cameron Van der Westhuizen from Create and Construct, who is also trained through BCITO.
Cameron is a hardworking, diligent, and dedicated employee. He had an excellent submission with plans, pictures and a detailed commentary which clearly showed he works to a very high standard. He has a positive attitude and a deep understanding of the materials he used in the project he submitted. Cameron’s ability was reinforced with a very strong supporting reference from his employer. He will go on to be an asset to the industry in the years to come.
The top apprentice from each region will then go on to compete in the Master Builders National competition. This includes a 45-minute interview with the national judging panel and an additional six-hour practical skills test.
