Wairoa apprentice takes out Gisborne heat of apprentice builders challenge

Winner at the NZCB BCITO Apprentice Challenge Gisborne heat, Cameron Spence (centre), with Stan Scott of Mitre 10 (left) and NZCB Gisborne president Brendan Fry. Photo / NZCB

A Wairoa man will compete on the national stage after taking out the Gisborne heat of the Certified Builders (NZCB) Apprentice Challenge.

The event, held at Mitre 10 Gisborne on Saturday, saw six apprentices given eight hours to construct a planter box, to be donated to their community.

Cameron Spence, 23 years old, was initially a reluctant entrant but made the best impression on the judges with his planter box.

Zeke Ingram, 34, came second, James Searle came in third.

The finished planter boxes were assessed for workmanship, measuring, cutting, assembly, and attention to detail. Judges also evaluated each apprentice’s ability to follow a detailed plan and apply safe working techniques.

Spence, in his final year of apprenticeship with Digby Toothill Builders, was stoked with the win.

“I just went in with the intention of doing my best. The build was very challenging. It was good problem-solving for sure.

“My boss is a certified builder, and he came up to me and said I should give it a go. I said no at first, but a few of my workmates encouraged me and said I’d feel proud about it, and I did in the end. They were absolutely right.”

He said the biggest challenge was overcoming his initial fear of entering.

“There were a few [moments] where I made a few muck-ups, but I managed to work around the problem.

“Having work colleagues, my family and a couple of friends there, I just felt like I had to push harder than I usually would.”

He said he had been building for about five years after he was introduced to it through a family friend.

“I first got into building through a family friend, and then when my family moved away from the farm in Tiniroto, my family renovated a house and sold it. That got me local building connections and inspired my apprenticeship.

The competitors with their finished products at the Gisborne heat of the NZCB BCITO Apprentice Challenge over the weekend. Photo / NZCB

Spence earned a $1000 Makita and Mitre 10 Trade prize pack.

He will head to Hamilton in June to represent Gisborne at the national final against 18 other regional winners for the Ken Read Memorial Trophy and a $10,000 prize pack.

“I’m even more nervous about the final, but it’s an exciting challenge. Coming from a small place in Wairoa and now going to Hamilton, it’s quite a step up, really,” Spence said.

“I didn’t really get much sleep [last] Friday night, so I don’t think I’ll be sleeping for a week this time.”

NZCB chief executive Malcolm Fleming said the apprentice challenge was designed to test whether apprentices were ready for the demands of the trade.

“For 15 years, the NZCB Apprentice Challenge has given up-and-coming apprentices the opportunity to prove their skills in a real-world, high-pressure environment.

“This year, the finalists have all shown the professional carpentry standards that NZCB members are known for.”

Local politicians, including East Coast MP Dana Kirkpatrick and Ikaroa-Rāwhiti MP Cushla Tangaere-Manuel, builders, and families attended the event to support the Gisborne apprentices.

Mitre 10 Trade supplied the building materials for the regional heat.