John Osborne's Presentation of the Annual Apprentice Awards for 2018

Welcome to this the 8th Ken McIntosh Memorial, Apprentice of the Year Awards, for 2018.

 

This annual award recognising the achievements and development of our local apprentices, was proposed by the late Ken McIntosh some nine years ago. Ken McIntosh was a leader in the Timber Industry in New Zealand and a champion for the education and training of apprentices to bring skills to the construction industry. The award is now named in his honour. His son Grant McIntosh is with us this evening and he will assist in the presentation of the prizes.

 

Following acceptance by Howick Rotary of the idea of the Award, discussions took place with representatives from MIT and BCITO to promote the award within their apprenticeship schemes and student base. This association continues and representatives from MIT and BCITO are with us today.

 

In the 80s and early 90s there was a distinct lack of support from Government towards the training of apprentices, with a heavy emphasis on getting everyone to attain University qualifications rather than trade quals. As a result of that emphasis on University degrees the Building Industry now has a huge gap in the age of its workforce with a large retiring age group and few within the 45 to 65 age group with suitable skills to replace them as they retire from the Industry. Fortunately the BCITO was established in the early 90s to develop the Apprenticeship Training schemes and as a result of that, from around the early 2000s we now have an annually increasing number of young people pursuing apprenticeships to the ultimate benefit of the Industry and New Zealand in particular. This year BCITO is training some 11000 apprentices with 4500 based in Auckland. With the now extreme shortage of new house builds for our rapidly increasing population these apprentices will become an essential part of our burgeoning industry.

 

Over the last month or so with the assistance of Colin Monk we have interviewed the candidates for the Award and have been greatly impressed by the quality of these young men and their attitude towards learning their trade and then developing  themselves further through ongoing study.

 

I will now call on the finalists to come forward in no particular order and sit on the seats to my left.

 

Shaun is 36 years old, lives locally with his partner in Bucklands Beach and has recently completed his apprenticeship. Having lived in the UK for a period he returned to NZ in 2011 and started as a hammerhand on various projects before commencing an apprenticeship in 2014. Working for Grant Build Ltd on residential construction projects, currently as a leading hand with responsibility for up to eight apprentices, he is also undertaking a Site Supervisors course at MIT with a view to further Site Management subjects to follow. He has aspiration to work for himself and operate his own company. He enjoys the opportunity of extending people under his direction, with a view to the importance of getting their Carpentry Ticket. Outside work he has played rugby and continued by coaching youth teams in both the UK and more recently with Pakuranga Rugby Club.

 

Timothy is 29 years old, was born in Timaru and moved up to Auckland with his family years ago when young. He is married and is nearing the completion of his carpentry apprenticeship with only a few papers to sign off and approximately six months still to serve. He has worked on local residential new builds and renovations working with small crews. As a member of a large family he has had the opportunity of working for his brother on many residential housing projects and is developing his management skills. He is looking forward to extending himself further and is keen to start his own small team and undertake refurbishment opportunities on his own projects some time in the future. As a member of a large Presbyterian family he undertakes many community projects with his local church. Before work commitments got in the way he played basketball for Counties Manukau.

 

Shane was born in The British Virgin Islands and moved with his family to Christchurch when he was ten. Nearing the end of his apprenticeship with a few papers to be completed this year, he is 27 and lives with his partner in Papakura. He is employed by Lewis Build on residential projects in our local area. Shane has outstanding communication skills and enjoys the opportunities of leadership and training other staff.  On site he has responsibility for a small team of apprentices. He has ambition to run his own firm and is looking at management skills training to assist in this. He weekly partakes Muay Thai martial art and also basketball when time allows. Having initially studied and qualified in law, Shane decided he preferred the lifestyle that manual work offered and this resulted in him undertaking the Carpentry apprenticeship now virtually complete.