Tauranga's Ethan Inglis will be among 10 young carpenters competing for the top award in Friday's Registered Master Builders Carters 2016 Apprentice of the Year.
Mr Inglis, 22, who works for Skilled Building Solutions and trained through the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation, won the regional Bay of Plenty/Central Plateau competition to take part in the nation awards.
To enter, he served as foreman on an apartment building project for his company, then submitted the details for his application to the awards.
"You have to want to do it, but you need the backing of your bosses," he said.
"It's probably the best thing you can do. You get thrown in the deep end [leading the build] and it either makes you or breaks you. It teaches you leadership and communication skills as well as general people skills."