Plant Supervisor First Woman To Win Concrete Industry Apprentice Of The Year

Megan Blance of Allied Concrete became the first woman to take home the Concrete Industry Apprentice of the Year award at Concrete NZ’s annual conference held at the Energy Events Centre in Rotorua.

This year marks the sixth Concrete Industry Apprentice of the Year award, which was open to those enrolled in, or who have recently completed, one of the BCITO’s concrete National and New Zealand Certificates.

The standard of finalists was exceptional, covering those who work and train in precast concrete, placing and finishing, concrete production, and concrete construction.

The judges noted that Megan, plant supervisor for Allied Concrete in Blenheim, embodied a range of attributes which saw her rise above the other high-calibre entrants to be recognised as the Apprentice of the Year.

Helping celebrate Megan’s achievement at the Awards function were her Allied Concrete colleagues, friends and whānau, as well as the Concrete NZ and BCITO teams, and representatives from across Aotearoa New Zealand’s concrete industry and construction sector.

In congratulating Megan, Concrete NZ chief executive Rob Gaimster remarked how this year’s entrants were not only an outstanding group of individuals, but also the most diverse since the award was launched in 2016, demonstrating the concrete industry’s development over recent years.

“Megan’s perseverance is clear, as is her commitment to building strong relationships with customers and fostering high-morale amongst her team,” says Rob.

Andy Parker, Allied Concrete’s Nelson, West Coast & Marlborough area manager, can’t speak highly enough of Megan’s courage and dedication when she chose to relocate to Blenheim and become Plant Supervisor.

“Megan puts her staff first and is well respected by customers,” says Andy. “Allied Concrete has a future leader in the making.”

Megan’s BCITO training advisor Mark Blom, offered similar praise when acknowledging her temperament and success.

“Megan is more than deserving of this recognition as she has a tremendous attitude, great leaderships skills, an enthusiasm for mentoring along with a tireless work ethic.”

Director Jason Hungerford, of BCITO reflects, ”Megan’s achievement is even more impressive when you consider that less than three percent of construction tradespeople are women. We salute Megan’s achievement and also her leadership as a successful woman in the trades.”

Megan has completed her BCITO National Certification in Concrete Production and is now looking forward to more professional development and career opportunities.

“Concrete NZ acknowledges the many challenges that Megan may have faced in a male-dominated industry, which makes her dedication to, and passion for, a career in concrete even more commendable,” says Rob.

“As a rising star in our industry, we are excited to watch Megan’s career progress, and look forward to her future triumphs.”

Since its inception in 2016, the Concrete Industry Apprentice of the Year award has proved its worth as an important tool to celebrate apprentice success, the importance of trade training and the value of employer and family support.

The award was open to all those enrolled in, or who had recently completed, one of the BCITO concrete apprenticeships.

The Concrete Industry Apprentice of the Year award was made possible thanks to major sponsors Concrete NZ and BCITO, a business division of Te Pūkenga Work Based Learning Ltd.

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