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Leon Beuth’s building skills under pressure were put to the test during the NZ Certified Builders (NZCB) Apprentice Challenge.
The Silverdale apprentice builder was named the winner for North Auckland region on April 6.
Competitors had eight hours to create a park seat from detailed construction plans. The seats were assessed by a panel of expert judges on workmanship, measuring, cutting and assembly, with Leon’s receiving the highest overall score.
The park seats will be donated to the Cancer Society.
Leon, aged 27, is in the second year of an apprenticeship with Lifebuilt Construction.
As the regional winner, he takes home a range of trade tools courtesy of ITM, and will represent North Auckland at the Apprentice Challenge Final, to be held at the NZCB annual conference in Christchurch on June 14-15.
There he will face 19 other regional winners from around the country to compete for the Ken Read Memorial Trophy and $50,000 in prizes.
Organisers say the competition was fierce this year – there were 92 entries nationwide, including a record eight from female apprentices.
NZCB chief executive Grant Florence was impressed with the skill, talent, and passion the carpentry apprentices demonstrated – a testament to their dedication, employer support, and the comprehensive training provided by the Industry Training Association Building scheme.
“The future of New Zealand’s building industry is dependent on a robust pipeline of top-quality apprentices. Fostering and encouraging young talent is a responsibility NZCB takes seriously,” Grant says. “We encourage our member builders to take on apprentices, as it creates a pathway into the industry and ensures the sector can meet the increasing demand for trade-qualified, highly-skilled and well-rounded building professionals.”
