Roofer on top of the world

Tauranga tradesman Jason Gamble was "pretty stoked" at being handed a national Roofer of the Year award.

Mr Gamble, 25, of Roofing the Bay, was presented with the Roofing Association New Zealand's Industry Training Organisation (ITO) at an awards evening in Wellington.

The ITO runs a programme which offers NZQA qualifications for roofers.

As Mr Gamble has been roofing for 10 years, he was able to complete the accelerated course for those who have been working five or more years.

The course involved completing work booklets, photographic evidence of work, and practical modules on a mini roof, assessed at Wintec in Hamilton.

Mr Gamble was given two years to complete the course. He said he "got stuck in and did it" in just five weeks.

This fast completion saw him put up for the award, and ultimately win it.

Neville Johns, owner of Roofing the Bay, said the award was an awesome achievement for Jason - it was a reflection of his work ethic and ability.

Mr Gamble is very passionate about his work, and he said he pays a lot of attention to detail. "I strive to be top notch."

When he left school Mr Gamble got straight into roofing and started to really enjoy it. "It's something different every day, you get to be outside, and there's always different challenges."

His advice to aspiring roofers is to take pride in what you are doing, as this goes a long way.

He said the roof is a major part of every building.

"People often say you can't see a roof, but if you have a leak in your roof, it doesn't matter how fancy your carpet is."