Apprentice of the month

July apprentice of the month 

Confidence and careful consideration win the day

Second-year apprentice Chris Johnson had to put his skills to the test when a colleague left without notice.

Coming at a busy time for the crew, the sudden departure left Chris having to take on extra responsibilities and really think for himself while carrying out tasks.

Chris saw the opportunity to show he had what it takes to carry out good work while being left to his own devices, and his confidence and careful consideration carried him through.

His boss was very impressed with the work Chris produced, saying that he now trusts him to work independently on certain tasks, and will be giving him more responsibility within the company to continue learning and proving himself with bigger jobs.

When asked what he learnt from the experience, Chris said it highlighted the importance of trusting his instincts, and being confident in what decisions he makes, knowing he’s put the hard work into learning the processes beforehand.

“The challenge was stressful at first, but it’s helped me progress in my building career and has shown me I can trust my abilities,” said Chris.

Judges were impressed by his willingness to step out of his comfort zone and admired his composed decision-making under stress.

August apprentice of the month

Second-year apprentice takes on management challenge

Hans, a second-year carpentry apprentice from Auckland, was recently faced with a test run in managing a crew and, despite a few small hiccups, came out the other side feeling satisfied.

With guidance from a senior carpenter, Hans was asked to manage a group of four to frame up a very large wall of approximately 2000m².

Not one to back down from a learning opportunity, Hans got to work organising the job. There were a few issues to resolve, as some of the window heights were wrong, but the team caught them early, so it was much easier to fix than if they’d just ploughed on ahead.

“All in all, it came out really well and on time,” says Hans. “I was really proud of the team for accomplishing such a mammoth task.”

He attributed the smooth process to good communication.

“It’s vital everyone is on the same page, not just the guys you are working with but also the subbies. Everyone is there to accomplish a single goal, so communication is key!”

The judges were impressed by Hans’ desire to complete the challenge and identify the best approach to managing the team.