Hawke’s Bay East Coast region’s top carpentry apprentice announced!


Carpentry apprentice Jake Pardoe has been named the Hawke’s Bay East Coast Registered Master Builders Carters 2016 Apprentice of the Year.

The 21 year-old from Hastings trained through the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO) and is employed by M & M Tibbles Construction.

Judges said Jake is an outstanding young man who has a bright future awaiting him, and is a worthy winner of the Hawkes Bay East Coast Apprentice of the Year.

“Jake demonstrated a wide range of skills throughout each step in the competition, impressing us during his project submission, interview and site visit.

“Jake’s experience in a hands-on apprenticeship, involving all aspects of the building process has provided a great foundation for his future.”

Jake 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 23 year-old Matthew Kim from Napier, who is employed by Anjalo Construction.

Third place was awarded to 25 year-old Stephen Price, also from Napier and employed by Gemco Construction.

The results were announced at an awards evening on 19 August at East Pier Hotel in Napier.

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.”

Jake 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 at www.facebook.com/apprenticeoftheyear. 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.

ENDS