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Ara Trades Star Wins New Zealand’s Most Prestigious Managed Carpentry Competition

Marc Palmer, a 21-year-old Ara/ITAB apprentice from Timaru, competed against 18 other regional finalists from around the country on June 12 to win the national final of the New Zealand Certified Builders Association apprentice challenge.

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The competition, run annually, is open to all apprentices (ITABS and BCITO) who compete in 19 regions to be eligible to participate in the final at the NZCB Conference for the Ken Read Memorial Trophy.

Palmer was the first-ever South Canterbury winner in the competition’s 10-year history. In a recent article about the win for Stuff, he was quoted as saying “It still feels unreal to have won the challenge. The competition looked like they had put in some mean hours.”

The prestigious win came at the end of an intense process during which carpentry apprentices from around New Zealand competed in eight-hour regional sessions which involved a unique building project, judged by building practitioners and industry educators. The winners from this stage are then sent to Wellington to take part in the finals, which tests the all-round capabilities of the competitors with diverse challenges that include providing a CV, a portfolio of work, an interview with the NZCB Board, the delivery of a 3-minute speech, and the completion of a 1.5-hour exam.

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Ron Bedyn (ITAB Team Coordinator/ITAB Assessor/Carpentry Tutor at Ara Woolston campus) emphasizes that this win represents more than hands-on skill. “These competitions expose these future leaders to a community of practise that will support and promote best building practise for them and the building industry, in alignment with numerous building suppliers and innovators.”

Amid a positive showing from female competitors and mature career-changers this year, Lucile Richardson from Waikato was awarded second place with Ryan Whitburn from Otago taking third.  

Ara offers managed apprenticeships across a range of trades areas including the construction sector and hospitality. These arrangements combine predominantly workplace-based training with off-job training and sound support, guidance and mentoring from Ara staff throughout the apprenticeship journey.

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Palmer commented within previously-mentioned the Stuff article that his ability to work one-on-one with his boss at Bayfield Builders helped him to gain confidence in his carpentry skills, and acknowledged that this had to be matched by a lot of his own hard work. “Give it your all and leave nothing, if you put in the hours it shows,” Palmer said.

Palmer won over $13,000 in prizes including a brand-new drop saw, laptop and an iPhone.