Northland’s top building apprentices went hammerhead-to-hammerhead at the New Zealand Certified Builders Apprentice Challenge regional heats in Whangārei on Saturday.
Northland’s top building apprentices went hammerhead-to-hammerhead at the New Zealand Certified Builders Apprentice Challenge regional heats in Whangārei on Saturday.
It was a case of second time lucky for Whangārei apprentice builder Caidan Brien.
But it was skill, workmanship and composure under pressure, rather than fortune that saw the 20-year-old secure victory as the top Whangārei apprentice at the New Zealand Certified Builders Apprentice Challenge regionalheats held in the city on Saturday.
At the same event, Ty Rolston from Divine Construction was the top Bay of Islands building apprentice.
The pair each won a $1000 prize package, courtesy of Mitre 10 Trade and Makita, but as top overall it’s Brien who will go to the national final at Auckland in June.
Caidan Brien, from Younger Builders in Whangārei won the NZ Certified Builders Apprentice Challenge regional heat on Saturday.
Held at Mitre 10 MEGA, nine apprentice builders put their skills to the test, building a pātaka – community sharing cupboard – and were judged on craftsmanship, attention to detail, time management and performance under pressure.
Apprentices tested their carpentry skills in a head-to-head, eight-hour build requiring workmanship, joint accuracy, material efficiency, safe working practices and the ability to follow a detailed plan.
They worked in a public setting with family, employers and colleagues watching on.
Each apprentice donated their pātaka to a recipient in their community, to be used for items such as toys, books, and food supplies for those in need.
Younger Builders’ BCITO apprentice Brien previously entered three the challenge years ago.
“The most challenging part was the mental side of it. When something went wrong, you had to get back on track,” he said.
“There were a lot of people watching. I was surprised at how many were competing too. Three years ago, there were three of us; this time, there were nine. It was really cool.”
NZCB chief executive Malcolm Fleming said the event builds confidence in emerging builders and can be a pivotal milestone early on in their careers.
Ty Rolston, from Divine Construction, was the top Bay of Islands building apprentice in the NZ Certified Builders Apprentice Challenge regional heats.
“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,” he said.
The other apprentices taking part were: Daniel Lenne, Reotahi Building Company; Jaiden-lee Ratcliffe-Jones, Rhino Build; Kaiya Halliday, Rhino Build; Marcus Shrubshall, Building and Beyond; Magik Trembath, Crum House Builders; Sapphire Dodd, Guyco Construction, from Whangārei; and from the Bay of Islands Felix Reilly, Navigation North Homes.
The national winner will take home a $10,000 prize package, thanks to Mitre 10 Trade, and the title as the country’s best apprentice.
