Best in the trade recognised at Flooring Apprentice Awards
Last night, top-performing apprentices in New Zealand’s flooring industry were recognised at the annual Building and
Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO) Flooring Apprentice of the Year Awards in Auckland.
The awards presentation event, held at Alexandra Park, is the largest annual get together of the flooring industry in
New Zealand and serves to celebrate the exceptional work happening in the field, says BCITO chief executive Warwick
Quinn.
“The awards recognise those who are making a valuable contribution to this industry; it gives them the chance to be
celebrated by their peers. All this year’s winners are strong role models for those who may be considering an
apprenticeship in the flooring industry.”
There is a vital need to address the drastic shortage of apprentices in the flooring industry, Quinn says. “The industry
needs to train more people and they need to do it now.”
“New Zealand needs more young people to move into the trades and these skills are in high demand. School leavers who
decide they want to start an apprenticeship can be confident they are making an excellent choice for themselves and the
industry,” Quinn says.
“These events really are the culmination of everything we are about at BCITO. Celebrating excellence in our young
achievers after years of dedication and hard work is heart-warming to us and really reflects what we want every
apprentice under our wing to aspire to.”
The winners were selected based on the achievement and skills they displayed at their respective block courses. The 2016
top achieving flooring apprentices are:
Award
Recipient
Supreme Apprentice of the Year and Stage 2 – Flooring Apprentice of the Year
Jacob Paraha, Havelock North, Hawke’s Bay
Stage 1 – Flooring Apprentice of the Year
Sean Fletcher, Wellsford, Northland
Stage 3 – Flooring Apprentice of the Year
Ramil Mifrano, Christchurch
Villars Trophy
Mavi Leofo, Wellington
Flooring Planning and Design Trainee of the Year
Christopher White, Dunedin
Quinn says the event was only made possible by the generosity of its sponsors: Carr Group, Cavalier Bremworth, Dunlop
Flooring, FloorNZ, Gilt Edge Industries, Godfrey Hirst Carpets, Handley Industries, Karndean International NZ, Look
Floors, Robert Malcolm Ltd, Sleepyhead Manufacturing,
Techspan Group.
ENDS