Bright future for construction as New Zealand’s Apprentice of the Year named

New Zealand’s construction industry can be certain that its future is in safe hands judging by the talent celebrated at an awards evening in Wellington on Saturday night.

Dunedin apprentice Ryan Keogh, 22, was named the Registered Master Builders Carters 2011 Apprentice of the Year after competing alongside 10 national finalists from up and down New Zealand.

Second place was awarded to Matt Saathof, 21, of Hastings who is employed by Gemco Construction in Havelock North. Twenty-year-old Tom Storey, employed by Simon Linton Construction Ltd in Ohope, took out third place.

The competition judges said winner Ryan Keogh, employed by Naylor Love Construction Ltd in Dunedin and trained by the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO), performed consistently across the competition.

“He’s going to be an asset to the industry because he is passionate about the building industry and he has a desire to succeed,” judges said.

“Ryan is strong in his health and safety knowledge, and his workmanship is very good. Ryan said he would rather take his time and get things right, and that showed through in his performance in the competition’s practical component,” they said.

“We were looking for someone who excelled in all areas of building, and we found that in Ryan. We’re very pleased to award him the top honours in this year’s competition.”

“All in all, these ten guys are the best of the best. The Apprentice of the Year is a great competition to be involved in.”

The Minister for Building and Construction, Hon Maurice Williamson, says the competition provides a great platform for talented young apprentices to further themselves and prove that the industry is in safe hands.

“With the construction industry looking to have a challenging and exciting future ahead, it is great to see such talented individuals making their mark,” Mr Williamson says.

“The built environment is so important to our future and the calibre of these young men should give us real confidence,” he says.

The awards event was held at Wellington’s Te Wharewaka and was attended by the apprentices and their families, key representatives from the building and construction industry, 2010 Apprentice of the Year Isaac Alder and guest MC Te Radar.

RMBF chief executive Warwick Quinn says training and retaining people in the construction industry is more important now than ever.

“Initiatives like the Apprentice of the Year are integral to showcasing our industry and providing a real and tangible career path in one of New Zealand’s largest sectors,” Mr Quinn says.

“There is a considerable amount of work looming on New Zealand’s horizon, including getting Christchurch back on its feet and ridding the country of leaky buildings. The entrants in the Apprentice of the Year competition are exactly the type of bright young people New Zealand needs, and it’s important for the building and construction industry to encourage and support them.”

The ten finalists completed the final part of the judging process on Saturday morning, displaying their skills in three practical assessments at the Carters frame and truss manufacturing facility in Lower Hutt.

Carters’ chief executive Brent Waldron believes the practical judging component, incorporated for just the second time in the national final, is an integral element of the competition.

“The practical component is a great way for these guys to finish the competition. It puts them under a bit of pressure and really tests their workmanship, and it gives them a sense of completion before the event on Saturday night,” Mr Waldron says.

“It’s important for us at Carters to support the Apprentice of the Year competition. These talented young people are the industry’s future and they are a credit to the companies they work for and the employers that train them,” he says.

The 2011 national competition marks its fifth year, steadily gaining momentum since its inception in 2007.

The inaugural winner Rhys Forsyth still rates the competition highly, saying it capped him off nicely at the end of his apprenticeship.

“The Apprentice of the Year makes you strive for that little bit more and it makes you do the best you possibly can. It’s a really valuable competition to compete in,” Mr Forsyth says.

Apprentices, employers and those young people aspiring to be part of the construction industry are encouraged to join up to the Apprentice of the Year Facebook page: www.facebook.com/apprenticeoftheyear.

The seven remaining finalists are as follows:

From Waiuku, Auckland, Joshua Woodcock, employed by DB Short Builders (BCITO)

From Devonport, North Shore, Jonathan Spurdle, employed by Warwick Gair Builders (BCITO)

From Whitby, Porirua, Ben Hanna, employed by Hanna Construction (BCITO)

From Nelson, Nick Skeggs, employed by Dusty Builders Ltd (NMIT)

From Palmerston North, Tom Evans, employed by Kynoch Construction Ltd (BCITO)

From Christchurch, Andrew Hamilton, employed by HRS Construction Ltd (BCITO)

From Hamilton, Straun Anderson-Scott, employed by Lobell Construction (BCITO)

ENDS

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