Against the Clock

Chris Foy
Third Place At The Registered Master Builders Carters 2022 Apprentice Of The Year
Waikato Regional Winner

Chris is employed by Urban Homes and his training provider is BCITO, a business division of Te Pūkenga.

Successes:

Chris was beyond happy and proud of himself when it was announced he’d  placed third. 

“I was proud to have done so well, as I was up against some very strong competitors. I’d worked really hard in the months leading up to the finals, but I was still very shocked and excited to place in the competition. It’s such a great opportunity to have industry chats, get to know other apprentices and create friendships with like-minded people,” Chris says.

Advice for Apprentices:

“Becoming an apprentice is such a rewarding challenge. My advice is not to be worried about making mistakes or missing out on a job, you’re best just to give it a crack! Chat to other builders and apprentices on site and get to know people in the industry. There’s also no harm in giving your CV out at building sites, it’s a great way to make connections and get a foot in the door,” says Chris.

Challenges

The competition is designed to challenge apprentices. The part Chris found the most difficult was the practical build. 

“The practical build during the National Competition was hard work. Having all the spectators watching and the other apprentices around is a lot of added pressure, plus tackling the practical challenge with a time limit is quite stressful.”

Judges comments:

Chris was the youngest competitor in this year’s competition at 21 years old. However, this didn’t stop him taking out a well-deserved third place.

Throughout the interview, Chris had exceptional responses that were extremely detailed and technical. Chris has a focus on the future and is open to how that may look. This eagerness shone through at the end of his interview where he took the opportunity to discuss what the judges thought about his future - where he should be heading and what they would do if they were in his shoes, knowing what they know now.  

Chris has a bright future ahead of him and we are excited to see where he goes.