New Zealand Certified Builders Apprentice Challenge held in Rotorua this weekend

The New Zealand Certified Builders (NZCB) Apprentice Challenge takes place in Rotorua on Saturday, April 6. Photo / 123rf

Rotorua building apprentices will battle it out for a spot in the national apprentice challenge.

The New Zealand Certified Builders (NZCB) Apprentice Challenge takes place in Rotorua tomorrow, with the winner going to the national final in June.

The apprentices would need to complete a challenging project in eight hours, NZCB said.

The design plans for the project are revealed to apprentices a week before the competition with the project requiring “proficiency in a raft of carpentry skills, with a focus on attention to detail and time management”.

To decide the winner, a judging panel of building practitioners and industry educators would assess each apprentice’s technical skills and technique, the quality of their workmanship, precision of measuring and cutting, assembly and ability to work to a detailed plan — all while working against the clock, NZCB said.

Each project must meet minimum safety standards and competitors will be provided with durable, trade-quality timber and materials from ITM to complete the project.

The event will be held at Rotorua ITM at 30 Clayton Rd on tomorrow from 8am and is open to the public.

The best time to attend is from 3pm onwards, with Rotorua’s Apprentice Challenge 2024 winner announced about 5pm.

The Rotorua event is one of 20 regional NZCB Apprentice Challenges being held nationwide tomorrow. The events are sponsored by ITM and any proceeds from entry fees and the sale of the projects following the event will be donated to NZCB’s Apprentice Trust, which provides apprentices with access to scholarships and grants.

The winner of each regional event will go on to represent their region in the national NZCB Apprentice Challenge held at the NZCB Annual Conference and Expo in Wellington from June 21 to 22.

– Supplied copy