Electric win for Harmony
Apprentice electrician Harmony Court has become the first ever female winner of the Master Electrician’s Challenge, the electrical industry’s toughest contest for trainee electricians.
Court, 24, from West Auckland, was named winner of the domestic/commercial category of the 16th annual competition, following a gruelling three-day final.
Wellington electrical apprentice Nick Johnson won the industrial category.
Both are apprentices with training provider The Electrical Training Company (etco).
Court is working with host company Leck Electrical in Epsom and is due to qualify as an electrician next year. Johnson is in the third year of his apprenticeship and is hosted by Seven Electrical.
It was Court’s final chance to clinch the title, which she came very close to taking as a finalist last year.
She said thorough preparation had paid off. ‘‘I’m delighted to have won against such tough competition.’’
‘‘I applied for an electrical apprenticeship after hearing about it on the radio and I absolutely love it. I’m doing something different every day, meeting new people and constantly learning new skills.
‘‘One day I hope to have my own electrical business.’’
Johnson is working in the commercial sector. He took up an apprenticeship with etco after beginning a degree in electrical engineering, but deciding university was not for him.
Master Electricians Operations Manager Bernie McLaughlin, said the number of entries to this year’s Challenge had rocketed, with employers and trainers using preparation for the contest as part of their training programmes, making it tougher than ever to reach the final.