Top performer s awarded Merit of Excellence

Media release

10th September 2014

Top performer s awarded Merit of Excellence

The Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board is pleased to announce the winners of its annual Merit of Excellence Awards.

Alister Nisbet from Auckland (gasfitting), Matthew Hobbs of Taihape (plumbing) , Cornelius Hannon of Kaikoura (drainlaying), were presented with the award at a ceremony in Wellington yesterday after being named as the top performer in the Board’s 2013 certifying examinations.

Each year, the Board formally recognises the outstanding achievements of an individual from each of the trades, who scores the highest results during the year in the Board’s certifying registration examinations.

Gaining certifying status is no easy feat. It's the highest qualification available—and it's
a six-year journey to get there.

This pinnacle award acknowledges and rewards high performing tradespeople that are undertaking the comprehensive and rewarding journey towards becoming a certifying tradesperson.

Max Pedersen, PGDB Chief Executive, said: “Top performers such as these are contributors to the growth of the industry and lead by example in raising the profile and ensuring the highest of professional standards within the trades”.

“This award reinforces the Board’s strong stance on ensuring and encouraging the highest professional standards in the industry to protect consumers”, he added.

At certifying level a tradesperson is responsible for ensuring both their own work, and the work of anyone they supervise is done competently. Tradespeople below certifying status must be supervised.

The Board strongly urges homeowners not to risk their family’s health and safety, or their insurance by using unauthorised tradespeople.

Check the competency of tradespeople by asking for the card, and make sure that they are licensed to cover the work they are doing. Anyone involved in carrying out sanitary plumbing, gasfitting or drainlaying is required to carry a current authorisation card.

Ends

Notes to editor

Matthew Hobbs of Taihape : Matthew’s extensive six year journey to gain this qualification began in 2009 as a trainee plumber. He successfully passed his licensed plumber registration examination in 2011, and was awarded his National Certificate in Plumbing through Skills in March 2013. He became registered as a licensed plumber in May the same year. After passing the certifying exam, Matthew now has a further
24-month period as a licensed plumber. He will then be eligible to practice as a certifying plumber.

Alister Nisbet from Auckland : began in 1999 as a trainee gasfitter. He successfully passed passed his licensed gasfitter and plumber registration examinations in 2002. He was awarded his National Certificate in Gasfitting in 2003 and also in Plumbing in 2005 through Unitec. He became registered as both a licensed gasfitter and licensed plumber in May 2008. Alister became eligible to practice as a certifying gasfitter in December 2013. After recently passing his certifying plumber examination, he is now also eligible to practice this work as certifying.

Cornelius Hannon of Kaikoura : Began in 2006. He sat and passed his licensed level registration examinations in 2011 for gasfitting and 2012 for drainlaying. After completing his National Certificates with CPIT in 2012, he became registered in all three trades during that year. Con became elligable to practice as a certifying plumber and gasfitter earlier this year and will be eligible to apply for to practice as a certifying drainlayer in mid-September of this year.

The Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board is the statutory body that is responsible for protecting public health and safety by ensuring people who do plumbing, gasfitting, and drainlaying work are competent.

If a member of the public believes work has been done by someone who is not authorised, or has concerns about the competency of tradespeople, they should make a complaint to the PGDB.

Consumers can check if a plumber, gasfitter or drainlayer is authorised to carry out the work by visiting the PGDB’s website at www.pgdb.co.nz, or calling the PGDB on 0800 743 262.

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