Pursuing a trade was a good option for many families at the college because supporting children through university was beyond their means, unless they won a major scholarship.
Mr Paitai said great effort went into matching students with the right employers and getting them on to the career path they wanted. One placement this year had taken a student as far away as Hamilton Airport.
Students were well prepared and not just dropped at the employers' doorstep. They were taught the value of punctuality, politeness and knowing the rules of the workplace. They also had to prepare a CV and go through a job interview.
The students were dropped off and picked up each day in the school van, making sure they didn't miss a day's work.
A number of students in the Gateway programme, which started at the college in 2001, had gone on to own their own businesses, Mr Paitai said.
Industry Training Federation chief executive Josh Williams said the awards were in their third year but this was the first time the Trade School of the Year title had been presented.
ITOs around the country had nominated 23 schools doing a good job at getting students into trades with Bay of Islands College the clear winner.
The college's small roll of just 350 students, rural setting and socio-economic challenges gave its win extra significance.
Got a Trade? Got It Made is an initiative by nine ITOs. This year's top individual award, Industry Trainee of the Year, went to graphic and web designer Myra Anderson of Wellington's printing.com.
Bay College's award follows a glowing ERO report in July and continues the school's turnaround after troubled years marked by division within the school and between a former principal and the community.
Gateway is a work experience programme in which students spend part of each week in the workforce.
