Drew’s flowers win gold in World Skills
Drew Wharehinga is aiming to take her floral skills to the world stage.
The Papakura florist picked up a gold medal in the World Skills NZ national finals in Hamilton this month.
She is among 67 regional finalists hoping to be named in the NZ Tool Blacks team which showcases the work of Kiwis across a number of categories.
The team, due to be announced in November, will travel to the 44th World Skills International Competition in Abu Dhabi next year.
The event is described as ‘‘the Olympics of vocational skills’’.
Competitors duel it out in categories such as building and construction, manufacturing, engineering, creative arts, fashion and social services.
They have to complete set projects over two days which involves tasks in their fields.
Wharehinga, 18, got into floristry after graduating from Papakura HIgh School last year.
‘‘It was my hospitality teacher who suggested I do a trade as they wanted more people to try them out.
‘‘I was going to do hospitality but when I finished school I changed my mind and did floristry.’’
Wharehinga started studying at a training centre run by MIT at the Floramax flower auction house in Mt Wellington.
She soon discovered her passion for the trade and has recently landed a job where she prepared bouquets. her first wedding
‘‘I like working with flowers ... it’s fun and enjoyable,’’ she says.
She was up against two other finalists in the floral section of the World Skills competition and had to complete eight projects.
World Skills NZ chief executive Malcolm Harris says the calibre of competitors was ‘‘excel- lent’’.
‘‘From our national competition we seek the best of the best to represent New Zealand on the global stage.
‘‘From this point we’re operating in a high performance environment and competitors know it,’’ Harris says.
The global competition attracts thousands of contenders and global sponsors who are looking to recruit the top talent, he says.
‘‘So to be selected to represent New Zealand is a huge honour, and at the same time we’re showcasing New Zealand’s quality industry training system.’’