Participants at the regional heat for the New Zealand Certified Builders Apprentice Challenge in Gisborne over the weekend. Photo / NZCB Apprentice Challenge.
Participants at the regional heat for the New Zealand Certified Builders Apprentice Challenge in Gisborne over the weekend. Photo / NZCB Apprentice Challenge.
Gisborne apprentice Inoke Baleitavea came out on top of an eight-hour carpentry challenge to take home a $1000 prize package.
He qualifies for the national stage of the 16th annual New Zealand Certified Builders Apprentice Challenge.
The regional heat featured six local apprentices and took place at Gisborne’s Mitre 10carpark on Saturday.
The apprentices were tasked with building a pātaka (a community sharing cupboard) and judged based on workmanship, accuracy, material efficiency and more.
Baleitavea, of ABC Design, took home the $1000 prize package, with Callum Kent finishing as runner-up, while James Searle took third place.
“This year I was just focused on finishing and actually getting every single measurement correct.
“My partner, kids and heaps of mates came through to watch, which was just awesome. It hasn’t quite sunk in yet, but I’ve heard what goes on at nationals and I know it’ll be a different sort of challenge.”
Inoke Baleitavea won the 2026 NZCB Apprentice Challenge regional heat. Photo / NZCB Apprentice Challenge
Baleitavea originally got into trades work after high school, but didn’t discover his love for building till a few years later.
“I didn’t have many goals ever since I left high school. So I’ve just been doing random jobs like forklifting and all that.
“I worked at the sawmill for a bit and I thought, oh, working at the sawmill is actually cool. Why don’t I just start building and actually building using timber?”
Baleitavea moved on to do a pre-trade course five years ago and went from there.
“I actually love building now.”
New Zealand Certified Builders (NZCB) chief executive Malcom Fleming said the event builds confidence in emerging builders.
“Against the backdrop of a difficult few years in the sector, the challenge is a reminder that the industry has a bright future and that we must keep investing in our apprentices.”
Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO) chief executive Jason Hungerford said many of the BCITO apprentices were encouraged to participate in the challenge by their employers.
“We’re excited to see now what all the participants will do with that opportunity.”
Mitre 10 head of trade Mark Moffitt, whose organisation partners with Makita to provide prizes for the challenge, said the experience was a rewarding one.
“Hosting most of the regional heats and providing a space for apprentices to showcase their skills was a great way to engage with the builders of the future.”
Baleitavea will move on to the national final in early June, held at the NZCB annual conference in Auckland.
The hour-long build will be presented to hundreds of leaders in the trade. The overall winner will receive a $10,000 prize package and title of the country’s best apprentice.
