Cheyne Lesa And Inkwise Take Out PrintNZ Training Awards

July 17, 2024

Blue Star Jackson supervisor/trainer Cheyne Lesa and Inkwise Print Partners have respectively earned this year’s PrintNZ Trainer of the Year and Training Company of the Year awards, presented at last Friday's Pride In Print Awards gala evening in Wellington.

Mr Lesa, who last year was also nominated for the same award in his first year in the role, said he relished being able to assist apprentices through their “daily struggles”.

“Be that providing extra after-hours sessions to help with bookwork clarification if they didn’t understand something, to making sure the right equipment was provided for the apprentices, or just being there for them on a personal and professional level,” he said.

“I’m naturally a person who loves to help and teach others. Engaging with the apprentices, seeing the growth from start to finish, is what I enjoy most – knowing I’m making a change to help develop them into the best they can be as operators.

“The award more so tells me I’m doing something right – to make a positive impact at Blue Star, to make sure we can get the best out of each apprentice.”

A former PrintNZ Apprentice of the Year, Mr Lesa said his aim was to pass on all of his own knowledge and to ensure that each apprentice was in the best hands with each operator assigned to.

“My belief is putting them in the best position they can be learning wise, because in the long run it’s not only beneficial to them as operators but to Blue Star.

“Connecting with them on a personal and professional level is key to me, and being able to hold them accountable when they may get something wrong, but also acknowledging and rewarding them when they are doing a great job.”

He added that Blue Star Jackson ensures each apprentice is well supported training wise.

“I’m very fortunate to have the apprentices I have and to have such supportive management. It really does make a difference when you have the support of management and fellow workmates to help develop the apprentices. This role fits my personality perfectly.”

Inkwise Print Partners sales and business development general manager Brent Goldsmid said he was “very surprised and pleased” to win the PrintNZ Training Company of the Year Award at his company’s first time of nomination.

“It is industry recognition of our commitment to training and apprenticeships,” he said.

“It has long been our opinion that we must take responsibility for training the next generation of operators. Generally, they are offered to team members who we see have the potential to succeed after having worked here for a period.

“They are well supported internally and kept on track by the training team.”

Mr Goldsmid added that, while it “may sound a little clichéd”, his firm did not see such investment as a “cost”.

“The only real cost is if we don’t train and then production suffers as our older team members retire or leave.”

Other finalists for the Trainer of the Year were:

· Rob Ellis (MCC Albany)

· Sam Kay (Labelmakers Hamilton)

· Jason Marshall (MCC Auckland)

Other finalists for Training Company of the Year were:

· Blue Star Jackson

· Graphic Packaging International

· MCC Albany

· MCC Auckland

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