Electrical Training Company (ETCO) apprentice co-ordinator Harry McCulloch said there was huge demand for electricians in Australia and about 50 per cent of New Zealand apprentices headed there.
Corbin is in the third year of his apprenticeship and this week competed against 14 other apprentices in the regional ECANZ Challenge, organised by the Electrical Contractors Association of New Zealand.
The competition for the Bay of Plenty/Waikato area was held at the Electrical Training Company (ETCO) facility in Tallyho St and involved putting together a working simulation of an everyday electrical installation.
The competition was split into industrial and commercial/domestic categories, reflecting the two specialisations into which electricians typically fall.
The top six will compete in the three-day New Zealand final at Tauranga in August.
Corbin said the competition was a real learning experience.
"I wanted to learn new skills and put myself up against the other apprentices just to see how I'd go."
He competed in the industrial competition.
When he finished his apprenticeship Corbin said he would like to work in the industrial sector.
Electrical Contractors Association branch president Mike Barr said the Bay of Plenty/Waikato round showed how much the competition was encouraging skill development.
He said the competition was an opportunity for the apprentices to measure themselves against their peers and also to gauge how well they themselves were doing.
The top six from the Bay/Waikato competition are due to be announced in about six weeks.
