The 2011 Fitec Awards

Search is on for the furniture, forest and wood industry's top performers in the 2011 Fitec Awards

The time is now to nominate the best and the brightest employees/trainees in the furniture, forest and wood industry for the annual Fitec National Training Awards.

Nominations are now open and companies have until 20 May to put forward their outstanding candidates including Modern Apprentice of the Year, Trainee of the Year and Training Company of the Year. There is also a general industry award for Outstanding Business Performance through People Development and an award recognising the best Fitec Training Leader of the Year.

The Fitec National Training Awards lift the profile of our industry and past winners have been great industry ambassadors says Ian Boyd, Fitec Chief Executive. It has been interesting to watch the career paths of those who've won awards, as their successes are indicative of the overall achievement of forestry and wood industry trainees.

Past winners of Fitec awards have gone on to do great things and we're looking forward to seeing the quality of this year's nominees. It'sinspirational to see the best of our apprentices, trainees and companies get the recognition they deserve.

Eden Simpson of Natural Timber Creations in Keri Keri won 2010 Trainee of the Year Furniture.

Eden handcrafted a computer desk using an interesting combination of New Zealand wood (Totara, Blackwood and Rimu). The desk is functional but also elegant and features hidden computer hardware, an electronic screen lifter, hidden keyboard tray and discreet security locks, making it look like a normal desk at first glance.

New Plymouth's Jones & Sandford Joinery Ltd took out the prize for the 2010 Fitec Training Company of the Year in the furniture category.

The 2011 Fitec National Training Awards are part of The New Zealand Forestry & Wood Processing Festival 2011 (Winning With Wood www.winningwithwood.com), which is a series of events to promote the wood sector in September and October 2011.

A special ceremony and gala dinner for category finalists and their guests will be held on 7 September in Rotorua, where the winners will be announced.

The entry and nomination forms, eligibility and criteria are available by going to www.fitec.org.nz

ENDS

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