Apprentice makes mark

A Hawke's Bay man has been awarded high industry praise in a national building apprenticeship competition recently.

Havelock North-based Gemco Construction Ltd employee Matt Saathof was placed second in the Registered Master Builders Carters 2011 Apprentice of the Year, after winning the East Coast regional division in September.

Gemco Construction Ltd operations manager Brent McAsey said Mr Saathof's achievement was "huge".

"To get second in New Zealand is a big achievement," he said. "Matt is a valued member of our staff, he is a self-motivated, conscientious, hard-working guy.

"He is very adaptable to working in any situation."

Mr Saathof has been involved in local projects such as the Sports Park stadium and is now involved with the new Farmers development in central Hastings.

The 21-year-old said his experience in commercial and residential jobs while working with Gemco had served him well in the competition, and he was "stoked" to gain the accolade.

"We had to compete for it," he said. "We had to make a joint, then make a frame and put a window in the frame, all in a short time period. I was stoked, they flew us down there and they put us in hotels so it was pretty good."

The awards event was held at Wellington's Te Wharewaka and was attended not only by the apprentices and their families, but key representatives from the building and construction industry, previous year's winners and MC Te Radar.

Registered Master Builders Federation chief executive Warwick Quinn said the competition was a way of showing that training and retaining people in the construction industry was more important now than ever.

"Initiatives like the Apprentice of the Year are integral to showcasing our industry and providing a real and tangible career path in one of New Zealand's largest sectors," he said.