Otago Apprentice builds his way to the top

Otago Apprentice builds his way to the top

“There’s no prize that could mean more to me than the Ken Reed Trophy!”

Dunedin apprentice and Otago Polytechnic graduate, Chris McLean, is over the moon about winning the national 2017 NZ Certified Builders Apprentice Challenge in Auckland at the weekend.

“It’s an amazing feeling when you put so much work into something and it pays off,” he says.

Fourteen regional winners competed in the final. After an entertaining challenge to build a go-cart, they submitted a portfolio showcasing their apprenticeship, were interviewed by a panel of experts and gave a presentation on a building task they had a lead role in completing. The winner was then announced at a black-tie dinner on Saturday night.

The judges said Chris was a humble and deserving winner.

Chris is currently an apprentice at Just Build It Ltd in Dunedin. He reckons his attitude to work helped him take out the top honours.

“It’s about finding something you really enjoy, then striving to achieve it. I’ve never agreed with ‘minimum wage, minimum effort’. I worked hard and was determined to be there and the judges could see that,” he says.

Chris’s former lecturer at Otago Polytechnic, Matt Thompson, says Chris is passionate about the industry and will go a long way.

“Chris’s win shows how good the trade training is throughout Otago. We’ve always punched above our weight; it’s a credit to the local builders and Polytechnic and exemplifies the great training our apprentices get,” Matt says.

Among his prizes, Chris wins the Ken Reed Memorial Trophy, a Makita drop saw and tool set, an Outward Bound Leadership Scholarship and one of his favourite items: a full copy of the NZ Building Standards (NZS 3604).

“I love it because I’m a bit of a geek! I was so chuffed to get that,” he laughs.

ENDS

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