Far North/ Bay of Islands New Zealand Certified Builders Apprentice Challenge winner Kodi Chamberlin working on the planter box that earned him the regional award on Saturday.
Far North/ Bay of Islands New Zealand Certified Builders Apprentice Challenge winner Kodi Chamberlin working on the planter box that earned him the regional award on Saturday.
Chamberlain, aged 21, took out the district final in Whangārei on Saturday, where contestants had to finish tasks set for the. Magik Trembath was the runner-up in the Bay of Islands/Far North heat.
Far North/ Bay of Islands NZ Certified Builders Apprentice Challenge runner-up, Magik Trembath.
The New Zealand Certified Builders (NZCB) competition tested apprentices’ carpentry skills under pressure and is held in partnership with BCITO. This year, apprentices were given eight hours to construct a planter box, which will be donated to their local community.
Chamberlin, who is apprenticed to New Vision Building and Construction, in Kerikeri, said the competition was a great experience, despite a few challenges on the day.
“The build was a lot of fun, but definitely stressful at times. Some of the joints were tricky, and I hadn’t done much preparation,” he said.
“I’ll be making sure to prep properly for the finals.”
He enjoyed getting to know the other competitors and said the standard among them was impressive.
“It was awesome meeting everyone. The other apprentices were outstanding, especially Brackhan Wyatt, the Whangārei winner. It was such a good day overall.”
Chamberlin is donating his finished planter box to Kaikohe East Primary School, where his mum is the deputy principal.
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.
Far North/ Bay of Islands New Zealand Certified Builders Apprentice Challenge winner Kodi Chamberlin with his finished planter box.
Chamberlin earned a $1000 Makita and Mitre 10 Trade prize pack. He will be flown to Hamilton in June to represent the district at the national final. There, he will compete against 18 other regional winners for the prestigious Ken Read Memorial Trophy and a $10,000 prize pack.
NZCB chief executive Malcolm Fleming says the Apprentice Challenge is designed to test whether apprentices are 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.”
BCITO director Greg Durkin was proud to see that over 75% of the contestants this year are BCITO apprentices.
