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First ever female winner of Master Electricians Challenge

29 August 2017
First ever female winner of Master Electricians Challenge final

Apprentice electricians Harmony Court has become the first ever female winner of the Master Electrician’s Challenge, the electrical industry’s toughest contest for trainee electricians.

Harmony, 24, from West Auckland, was named winner of the Domestic/Commercial category of the 16th annual competition following the gruelling three-day final. Wellington electrical apprentice Nick Johnson won the Industrial Category.

Both are apprentices with training provider The Electrical Training Company (etco). Harmony is working with host company Leck Electrical in Epsom and is due to qualify as an electrician next year. Nick is in the third year of his apprenticeship and hosted by Seven Electrical.

It was Harmony’s final chance to clinch the title – which she also came very close to taking as a finalist last year – and she said thorough preparation had paid off.

“I’m delighted to have won against such tough competition,” she said. “I applied for an electrical apprenticeship after hearing about it on the radio and I absolutely love it. I’m doing something different every day, meeting new people and constantly learning new skills. One day I hope to have my own electrical business.”

Nick is working in the commercial sector but entered the industrial category to set himself a major challenge.

He took up an apprenticeship with etco after beginning a degree in electrical engineering but deciding university was not for him.

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“I didn’t have the study habit for university,” he said. “I realised I needed something a bit more hands-on where I could see right away what I was achieving.
“I also like the fact that you are paid while you are learning – and don’t need to have a student loan.
Master Electricians Operations Manager Bernie McLaughlin said both winners had remained strongly focused throughout the regional and national finals – “leaving no stone unturned” in terms of their preparation.

“Harmony is a very determined individual. She was totally focused, from the preliminary regional rounds right through to the final, and she hit the ground running.

“Nick is a quiet achiever. He doesn’t say a lot, he just gets his head down and focuses. He did a great job across all the competition modules.”

The finalists faced five rounds of two-hour long modules, interspersed with off-site challenging activities and team bonding.

Mr McLaughlin said there the number of entries to this year’s Challenge had rocketed, with employers and trainers using preparation for the contest as part of their training programmes – making it tougher than ever to reach the final.

Champions can also go on to enjoy international opportunities, with the titles opening doors for them to represent New Zealand at WorldSkills Competition events.

Master Electricians Chief Executive Neville Simpson said apprentices are in high demand across all trades in New Zealand and the goal of The Challenge is to promote the benefits of electrical apprenticeships.

“The Challenge is about celebrating the work of our apprentices and recognising excellence, quality and innovation in our trade. It’s a great way for apprentices to kick off their careers – they get to build their confidence, capability and leadership skills and meet others in the industry,” said Mr Simpson.

The Challenge is made possible through the support of Skills, NHP, Rockwell Automation, Marley, Vynco, Legrand and J.A. Russell Ltd.

ENDS

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