Hawke's Bay apprentices sew up national wards

Napier Auto Upholstery won Vehicle Upholstery for the restoration of this 1960 Chevrolet Bel Air. From left, car owner Mike King, Tessa Paaymans, Bobbi Wilkie and Malcolm Wilkie. Photo / Paul Taylor

Hawke's Bay upholstery apprentices sewed up multiple national titles at last weekend's Outdoor Fabric Products Association of New Zealand (OFPANZ) Awards for Excellence held in Nelson.

Tessa Paaymans of Napier Auto Upholstery won the overall Apprentice of the Year gong and the Tier 2 prize for more experienced apprentices.

Georgie Fry of Douglas Outdoor & Textile Innovation in Hastings won the Tier 1 Industrial Textile Apprentice of the Year award, while fellow Douglas apprentice Alexi Faulker won a Highly Commended award for her entry in Tier 2.

Each entrant in the awards is supplied with a design brief and asked to apply their creativity and skilled workmanship to create a piece.

OFPANZ executive officer Amanda Newport said the high quality of work from across the country was a challenge for the judges.

"This was the second year in a row that 100 per cent of our Apprentice of the Year accolades have been awarded to females, and all of them from Hawke's Bay," she said.

"It is always fantastic to celebrate new apprentices joining the industry, and this year it's special to be highlighting the creative skill of our women in trades, in what used to be a mostly male career path."

Each winner received $250 in prize money from the industry's training provider MAST, while as the overall winner Paaymans won another $500 and her choice of a welder from Carr Group NZ.

In addition to the apprentice awards, Napier Auto Upholstery won in the Vehicle Upholstery category for a full restoration of a 1960 Chevrolet Bel Air.

Douglas Innovation won the Commercial Shade Structures award for their shade installation at local music festival Nest Fest.

Douglas' soon-to-be-retiring production manager Peter O'Connell was also awarded a Long Service Award celebrating his almost 50 years in the industry and contribution to training apprentices.