Todd Maitland didn’t speak a word until he was nearly 9.
By 13, he had lost full sight in one eye.
But from the basketball courts of Tauranga to the hands-on world of trades, he has tackled every challenge head-on.
He won BCITO’s 2025 Concrete Industry Apprentice of the Year award last month after completing level 3 – an honour he was “surprised” to receive.
“I’m just really happy and grateful ... I didn’t expect to win,” Maitand said.
Now 21, Maitland’s even bought his first home, all while living with autism, a neurodevelopmental condition that affects communication, learning, behaviour, and interaction with others.
Despite that, he has put in the hard mahi since starting his apprenticeship with Brownmore Concrete Ltd in Waihī four years ago.
Tina, his mother and “number one supporter”, said she was blown away by his success.
“We would never have dreamed in our wildest dreams that he’d be where he is now,” she told the Waikato Herald.
Maitland is one of four brothers, but the only one living with a disability.
“To have somebody that’s actually got an impairment and has struggled in life, Todd’s just acing this world and getting ahead,” she said.
As a young boy, Maitland often became frustrated by his inability to communicate.
He would pick up tables and chairs at kindergarten and throw them across the room “like he was Superman”.
The family communicated with sign language until he was almost 9.
Tina quit her job to dedicate herself to helping him gain independence, knowing that one day he’d need to look after himself if something happened to his family.
“We have just pumped and pumped and pumped everything into him, [from] speech therapy to occupational therapy, you name it, we’ve had it.”
Things were looking up when he finally found his voice, but at 13, he lost full sight in one eye.
That didn’t faze him, though, and he continued studying until he stumbled across Brownmore Concrete during work experience. Within days, he landed a paid part-time role, a fulltime apprenticeship, and left school.
Tina admitted she was worried at first.
Along with autism, Todd also has a developmental delay, so he needed a job with consistent routines.
“Concreting is repetitive ... and that’s what he needed,” she said.
“He took it like a duck to water.”
However, along with concreting, he has also been excelling in life and recently bought his first home with his brother.
Maitland always wanted his own home, “just for a new chapter in life”.
Tina really misses him at home, but his independence was “always our goal”.
“All we ever wanted was this for him, and he’s doing it.”
She believes he’s had to push much harder in life to prove “he can fit in”, especially when chasing his basketball passion.
“No one would choose him to be on their basketball team.
“No one would ever pick him because he was different.”
But “he’s proving to the world he can do it”, as he prepares to captain the 2026 Special Olympics NZ basketball team.
Maitland said leading the team was a “huge step” for him as he wants to play professionally.
“He wanted to play for New Zealand, and he’s doing it,” Tina said.
“[We’ve] got this kid that’s working, but [still] living the dream.
“We’re pretty over the moon [and] pretty proud parents.”
Maitland was the first BCITO apprentice with autism that Rex Podmore of Brownmore Concrete had hired.
It was a “proud moment” for Podmore to see him get his level 3.
“He’s achieved this himself,” he said.
To him, Maitland is “no different” than others.
“He just needed a chance to prove himself.”
Podmore described Maitland as a hard worker and someone who’s always working to the last minute before basketball training.
He believes Maitland’s come a long way in self-confidence, with BCITO playing a “major part” in his success.
“Todd talks to the clients now, whereas when he first started, he wouldn’t really communicate. A lot of [clients] say that he’s doing so well.”
Podmore believes employers shouldn’t be worried about hiring people with intellectual difficulties.
“There are lots of people sitting at home right now thinking it’s impossible, but it ain’t.
“It is a challenge but ... they’ll get through it.”
The Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO) provides apprenticeships and training for the building and construction sector.
Training advisor Sam Thompson said Maitland was a “standout apprentice” who had consistently demonstrated excellence across all areas of concrete work.
“His enthusiasm for the trade, resilience in overcoming challenges, and commitment to continuous learning make him a role model for others in the industry.”
Malisha Kumar is a multimedia journalist based in Hamilton. She joined the Waikato Herald in 2023 after working for Radio 1XX in Whakatāne.