The Auckland & Northern Apprentice of the Year Regional Winners are...🛠️
8 September 2023
Proud to celebrate two decades of excellence among carpentry apprentices, the top three Apprentices from the Auckland and the Northern regions have been announced for the 2023 Registered Master Builders CARTERS Apprentice of the Year.
Now in its 20th 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 submit details of a building project they are working on as well as take part in a two-hour practical challenge where they were tasked with building a step stool. The top 10 participants from each region then progressed to an interview stage with a judging panel and an onsite visit to discuss their building project in detail.
Jack Nevines from Auckland has been named the Auckland 2023 Registered Master Builders CARTERS Apprentice of the Year. Jack is employed by Faulkner Construction and trained through BCITO | Te Pūkenga.
The judges said Jack's application was close to perfection and they had never before seen such an in-depth and detailed submission. "During his site visit he discussed his entry and was able to clearly articulate the development and progression of the build over the last 12 months. He had a faultless interview and did an excellent job in the practical challenge. Jack has excelled in every aspect of this competition and is one of the strongest apprentices the judges have seen during their time. "
Second place was awarded to Matthew Cui from Waiheke Island, Matthew is employed by Dash Build.
The judges noted that Matthew is a well-rounded apprentice and should be proud of his excellent submission. "It was clear that a lot of time, thought and effort had gone towards writing it. During the practical Matthew took great care in building his project. He had great attention to detail and kept a very tidy work area. It is clear that Matthew is very enthusiastic about the building industry, and this was highlighted during his site visit. Matthew is a passionate learner and was great at telling the judges what he’d learnt. Well done, Matthew, you have excelled in this competition. "
In third place was Sam Graham from Auckland, employed by Concpt Construction. Both Matthew and Sam were trained through BCITO | Te Pūkenga.
"Sam had a solid, well written submission which he later brought to life in his interview. His description of processes and materials used was a stand-out. He had a very clean and tidy workstation, showed stellar health and safety practices, and built his finished product to a very high standard. Sam really shone in the interview – he talked with great passion and included lots of detail. He is a very positive and confident apprentice who will certainly go far. "
The awards for the Northern region, stretching upwards from Auckland's North Shore, were announced at the same event.
Isaac Posthuma from Auckland took out the Northern 2023 Registered Master Builders CARTERS Apprentice of the Year title. Isaac is employed by JR Build and was trained through BCITO | Te Pūkenga.
"Isaac made a great effort during the practical challenge. He kept his site tidy, was well-presented, and remained very relaxed. He completed his project to a very high standard, with minimal mistakes."
The judges were also impressed with the high quality of Isaac’s submission. "He wrote about his project in detail and showed a deep understanding of the finer points. He also submitted plenty of pictures to provide further explanation. Isaac really came to life during the site visit – his involvement in the project was clear and his passion for building shone through. "
In second place was Corina Brown, from Whangārei, employed by RHJ Builders.
The judges were impressed with Corina's ability to confidently talk in great detail about her project, her involvement in it, and the challenges. "Corina submitted a very comprehensive submission which showed she has an in-depth understanding of the work she completes onsite. She had the tidiest work site by far and followed great health and safety practices by keeping her unused tools away from her workspace. Corina’s measurements were perfect, and she followed the plans to a tee. You should be very proud of your achievements Corina – you have excellent building abilities."
Third place went to Jacques Auret from Auckland, employed by NZ Builders. Corina and Jacques were also both trained through BCITO | Te Pūkenga.
The judges noted that Jacques showed great effort during the practical. "Jacques was relaxed and maintained good health and safety. He was the first to start screwing, showing his ability to complete a job well-done, under pressure."
"Jacques wrote a well-crafted submission which outlined the steps of the build in a concise and clear manner. A nice touch was the section describing what he learned from the job which showed he is perceptive about his work. As a second-time entrant, Jacques has improved from last year and was able to confidently talk about his leading role in a project for NZ Builders."
National Competition
The top apprentice from each region will then go on to compete in the National Competition in Auckland. This includes a 45-minute interview with the national judging panel and an additional six-hour practical skills test, followed by the National Awards Dinner where we will announce the winner.
The National Practical will be co-located at CONZTRUCT Auckland North on 9 November.
CONZTRUCT is New Zealand's largest travelling construction trade show and attracts thousands of builders, architects, designers, and other trade professionals at its 16 annual events nationwide. Each event covers the residential, commercial, and industrial sectors, and the exhibition includes showcasing a diverse range of products and services from the industry’s brand leaders.
If you have any questions please email aoy@masterbuilder.org.nz