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:

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, NorthlandStage 3 – Flooring Apprentice of the Year - Ramil Mifrano, ChristchurchVillars Trophy - Mavi Leofo, WellingtonFlooring 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.

A BCITO press release