Dedication pays off for Dargaville apprentice

Dedication pays off for Dargaville apprentice and new father in 2010 Third Year ITaB Apprentice Challenge



Dargaville’s carpentry apprentice Graeme Mager will be representing Northland at the national 2010 Third Year ITaB Apprentice Challenge in Queenstown on 11-13 June. ITaB is the national industry training association for certified builders.

Graeme showed particular dedication to the task at hand by competing despite the fact that his wife had gone into labour. He made it to the birth on time, becoming a father for the first time after the end of the competition.

Competitors came from as far north as Kaitaia to compete at the regional competition held at NorthTec recently and were required to build a scale model of a house to strict specifications. Another Dargaville apprentice, Joseph Frearson, came second in the regional competition.

NorthTec ITaB coordinator and tutor Robin Storey said that the task was a challenging one to complete in the time available. “Selected third year apprentices from around the country complete the task with three tutors marking their work using a national marking schedule. The average mark is then taken and the students who achieve the top ten marks nationally go to the finals.”

Graeme works for Vuletich Construction in Dargaville. Owner John Vuletich said he and his partner Annette are proud to support Graeme’s efforts. “We’re a hundred percent behind what he’s doing. He’s a really good employee. He thinks outside the square. When he comes up against a problem he can think creatively and solve it.

”One of the criteria for the competition is that Graeme must supply a cv of the jobs that he’s done since he’s been doing his apprenticeship. We have photos of jobs that Graeme has done with us that we are putting together for him.”

Graeme is no stranger to success in his apprenticeship. Last year he received an award from the New Zealand Institute of Building’s Northern chapter for achieving excellence in his subject area.

The Northland regional ITaB competition was sponsored by Hitachi, Makita, Marshall Waterproofing, MSL Fastenings, ITM and Rosvalls ITM, Toolshed and Bunnings.







ENDS

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