DEMM Engineering & Manufacturing
Worldskills apprentice winners
New Zealand’s top trade apprentices were announced at an awards ceremony in July, following a two-day competition in Hamilton.
Hosted by Wintec ( Waikato Institute of Technology), the WorldSkills New Zealand 2014 national competition saw 90 regional competition finalists showcase their talent across 18 industry categories.
Each competitor completed a specific project over two days, replicating problems and tasks they would encounter in their daily jobs.
Among this year’s medallists was Nick Bastiaansen of Fonterra who won gold in the maintenance engineering category. Michael Benson of Stainless Design won gold in the sheet metal technology, while Cameron Besley of Mainline Sheet Metals won silver.
For welding, RCR Energy employees Stacy Smyth won gold, and Huitao Williams won silver.
More than $ 30,000 of prizes were sponsored by the industry, and the event was held in conjunction with the 16th annual Certified Builders’ conference.
WorldSkills New Zealand is an independent, notfor-profit charitable trust dedicated to encouraging vocational trade/skill excellence by encouraging participation at regional, national and international WorldSkills competitions.
The organisation’s executive chairman, Bruce Howat, says: “I’ve just spent two days watching New Zealand’s next professional tradespeople and business leaders at work and they are truly inspiring.
“It’s great to see so many focused, skilled and enthusiastic young people in one place and I’ve no doubt they are poised for success.” On the web www.worldskills.org.nz