Bay of Plenty Central Plateau region’s top carpentry apprentice announced!
Carpentry apprentice Ethan Inglis has been named the Bay of Plenty Central Plateau Registered Master Builders Carters 2016 Apprentice of the Year.
The 22-year-old from Tauranga trained through the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO) and is employed by Skilled Building Solutions.
Judges said Ethan is an outstanding individual who shows maturity beyond his 22 years, and is a worthy winner of the Bay of Plenty Central Plateau Apprentice of the Year.
“Ethan is confident and leads by example in all facets of the building process. His knowledge of the building site, ability to identify potential problems and support with quality solutions was second to none.
“It is clear Ethan is very capable and has excellent communication skills. He is very good at planning and implementing a project.
“Ethan is a stand out performer with confidence and enthusiasm, and the knowledge to back it all up.”
Ethan was awarded a range of fantastic products and tools, $2,000 to spend at Carters, and a spot at an Outward Bound Course.
Second place in the regional competition was awarded to 20-year-old Alywn Vickers from Katikati, who is employed by Parkin Builders Limited.
Third place was awarded to 23-year-old Jacob Cvitanovich from Tauranga and employed by Venture Developments.
The results were announced at an awards evening on 2 September at the Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club.
Registered Master Builders Chief Executive David Kelly says the competition not only celebrates the quality of New Zealand’s carpentry apprentices, but also helps to promote the opportunities that an apprenticeship in the trades has to offer.
“The construction industry is going through an unprecedented period of growth. We need more people to join the trades across all levels. The Apprentice of the Year competition is a fantastic way to showcase our future industry leaders.
“We applaud the commitment and determination from all the apprentices, and we look forward to seeing even more from the finalists at the National competition in November.”
BCITO Chief Executive Warwick Quinn says the organisation is proud to support an event that showcases the high calibre of apprentices at a time when the industry needs them most.
“It has been fantastic to see the high level of skill displayed by all the apprentices. They have shown remarkable ability and passion for their craft, and are paving the way for more apprentices to follow,” he said.
“We are excited to see this continue into the National competition and wish all the finalists luck as they make their mark in the building and construction industry.”
Ethan will now compete against the winners from the other nine regions at the National competition in Auckland.
Each finalist will undergo a 45-minute interview with the national judging panel. They will then compete in a practical carpentry challenge where each apprentice will be tasked with building a play house to be donated to local schools. The practical challenge will take place at The Cloud on 4 November and will be open to the public.
The winner of the Registered Master Builders Carters 2016 Apprentice of the Year will be announced at an awards dinner on 4 November.
Apprentices, employers and young people aspiring to be a part of the construction industry are encouraged to join the Facebook page.
For more information, visit www.apprenticeoftheyear.co.nz.
The Registered Master Builders Apprentice of the Year competition is made possible thanks to principal sponsor Carters, the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO), and supporting sponsors the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and APL through their Altherm, First and Vantage brands.