Sixth-generation Masterton chippie Richie Trotman is "going for first" as a finalist at the 2007 Wellington regional Apprentice of the Year awards.
Last year Trotman came in second at the regional finals and this year he has his sights fixed firmly on first place. The 21-year-old, who finished his apprenticeship in
April, is heading to the capital on Friday with 10 other regional finalists to find out who will represent Wellington in the inaugural national finals in November.
The competition began in the Wellington region and has expanded over the past four years to include 10 regions representing the entire country.
"Building's in the blood, my dad and two brothers are builders" Trotman, who is a leading hand at Rigg-Zschokke, said.
Watching his work manifest before his eyes and being away from the confines of a desk suit Richie just fine.
"The satisfaction at the end of the job is primo, you can sit at a desk all day and type and at the end of the day all you've got is a pile of words but with building you can see what you've achieved," he said.
Richie plans to carry on his studies to become a quantity surveyor with an eye to moving into project management.
He entered the Apprentice of the Year awards with a portfolio of his work, a particularly difficult roof repitching in Riversdale involving 12 angled segments.
Judges from Wellington then came up to meet him on site for an interview to see if the man and his work were up to scratch.
As a regional finalist he is in the running to win a $2000 scholarship to further his skills and education, an Outward Bound course and a kit of tools. Should he make it to the nationals he'll be in the running for a trip to Australia.
