Sawing to New Heights


Jack Nevines
Winner of The Registered Master Builders Carters 2023 Apprentice Of The Year and Auckland Regional Winner.

Jack is employed by Faulker Construction and his training provider was BCITO, a business division of Te Pūkenga.

Successes:

When Jack was announced as the Master Builders CARTERS 2023 Apprentice of the Year winner, he felt proud and humbled to have won in front of his family, employer, and work mates.

“It took a while for the win to sink in, I was in disbelief as I was up against seven other talented apprentices from across the country. Everyone was deserving and they’re all great people. The competition itself was a blast. In the regional competition I loved showcasing my work to the judges during the site visit. I am proud of the work that we do, and it was great to showcase it to industry professionals,” says Jack.

“During both competitions but especially at the Nationals, meeting the other apprentices was the best part. To hear how their apprenticeships were going and the differences in our industry was incredible.”

Employers Comments:

Jack’s employer Ross Faulkner of Faulkner Construction was one of Jack’s biggest supporters.

“We encouraged Jack to re-enter the competition as he had placed third the previous year in Auckland. He had another year’s experience under his belt and was getting close to finishing his apprenticeship. He had learnt a lot more about the industry and gaining the skills needed to be a leading craftsman,” said Ross.

“I felt incredibly proud of Jack’s success and trying to convey this in words is difficult. It is a huge testament to Jack’s talents, and is a reflection of all our staff who have been involved in his training over the last three years. Jack would be the first to admit that his success this year has been built on the experience, support, and encouragement that he has received from our tradesmen who’ve entered the competition in previous years,” continued Ross.

Challenges

The National competition was a test of Jack’s abilities, but he powered through to come out on top.

”The National practical challenge was a lot tougher than the regional build. The physical and mental pressure that you experience takes a toll on you over those six and a half hours. At the end of the day, all the apprentices were in the same boat, trying to beat the clock. Having immense time pressure is not something we’re used to, but at the end of the day it was so rewarding."

Judges comments:

Jack performed exceptionally well across all three categories of the competition, impressing the judges at every stage.

Jack showed a natural ability to lead, and the management of his project was faultless. Jack’s extensive knowledge of the building code, methodology, and building products stood out and showed his great interest and understanding of the industry.

In the final stages of the competition, his skills all came together to demonstrate his top-class craftsmanship. Jack should be extremely proud of this result and the impressive apprentice that he has proved to be.