Pair pack up tools for world trade champs

Two Northlanders at the top of their trades are preparing to take on the world in head-to-head competition in Calgary, Canada, in September.
Marcel Woods, of Kaikohe, will be competing in the automotive technology section while Jemma Bond, of Whangarei, will be putting her auto-refinishing skills to the test. They will be part of a  17-strong New Zealand Tool Blacks team taking part in the WorldSkills International competition.
 WorldSkills New Zealand chief executive Peter Spencer said world titles were at stake and New Zealand standards of trades training were in the spotlight.
"Our young team of Tool Blacks will contest individual trade categories against more than 800 competitors from 50 countries. They will be demonstrating their skills in specially-assigned tasks designed to simulate the exacting requirements of their workplace, in what will be intense competitive situations."
The Tool Blacks were selected after the WorldSkills New Zealand national finals in September 2008.
To meet the international criteria, all national competitors were required to be less than 22 years of age.
Since that time, the young people selected and their trainers have been putting in long hours of training to fine-tune their skills in preparation for four days of intense practical competition, Mr Spencer says.
The team will compete in  17 different trade categories covering plumbing to printing, marine cabinet-making to automotive technology, floristry to restaurant services.
WorldSkills New Zealand is an independent, non-profit charitable trust that was founded in 1986.
Its purpose is to encourage young people to excel in vocational skills, achieved through exposure to competitions at a regional, national, and international level.
Bruce Howat, WorldSkills New Zealand board chairman, said New Zealand produced stars in the trade training
discipline.
"As a nation we have invested heavily in trade training in the last decade and these outstanding young people symbolise the best of that investment."