The 2017 Got A Trade? Got It Made! Industry Training Awards, held at Parliament last night, showcased inspiring young people driven to make a big difference in their industry. Fifty of New Zealand’s best and brightest young trainees and apprentices gathered in Wellington to rub shoulders and receive honours at this year’s awards.

“These incredibly impressive young people are some of New Zealand’s future business leaders, and we are in good stead,” says Industry Training Federation Chief Executive Josh Williams. “Got a Trade! promotes the massive range of job opportunities that offer the chance to ‘earn and learn’ and launch successful careers. We congratulate last night’s winners for the significant mark they make in their work and study, and we celebrate 148,000 apprentices and industry trainees gaining critical skills and qualifications in over 140 trades and services.”

Graphic and Web Designer, Myra Anderson, received the evening’s top honour, Industry Trainee of the Year. Described as driven, focused and positive, Myra has completed a Diploma in Interactive Design, Level 3 and 4 Certificates in Digital Print Processes, and intends to start her Print Management Diploma next year. Myra says her Competenz print apprenticeship gave her the confidence, skills and knowledge to turn a job into a career. She has worked on national campaigns and taught herself both industry and business management skills at Wellington’s printing.com. Her goal is to become an art or creative director – all through on the job learning.

Air New Zealand Customer Service Agent, Jahmaine Cummings-Hodge, received the Maori Community Impact Award. Jahmaine enriches and integrates community and cultural elements at work, promoting Te Reo and Maori tourism for local, national and international audiences. Jahmaine has taken Kapa Haka teams to national and international competitions and performing arts festivals. He is a proud recipient of Air NZ’s ‘Tohu Reo’, which acknowledges Jahmaine’s strong Te Reo advocacy. After completing his ServiceIQ Tourism Management Diploma and Certificate in Business, Jahmaine made a quick transition to assisting management and frontline staff at Air New Zealand.

And talented Hastings Barber, Peleti Oli received the Pasifika Community Impact Award. Peleti leads by example, translating his barbering skills into building his community. He takes on vulnerable young people, including streetkids, in his barbershop F.A.D.E.D limited (Somehz Touch Barbers), training them up and helping them find a way to a brighter future. Peleti’s personal spirit and community outreach demonstrates how people can take difficult circumstances and achieve something great. A recently graduated HITO apprentice Peleti won the Pattern category for Barbercraft two years in a row and in 2017 he took out Barbercraft’s Open Creative title.

The inaugural Got A Trade! School of the Year Award was presented to Kawakawa-based Bay of Islands College. “For the School of the Year, judges were looking for schools that support their students to move successfully into employment by offering real-world curriculum options, and improving the perception of trades and services,” says Mr Williams. “The 350 students at Bay of Islands College have access to vocational pathways and digital and distance learning options, which deliver relevant and community-linked learning. The school is involved in trades academies; students are achieving industry and employability credits through work experience programmes such as Gateway; and NCEA qualifications are being achieved with Vocational Pathways endorsements.”

“Twenty-three secondary schools across New Zealand were nominated for this award and we are thrilled to send it up to the stunning Bay of Islands, where a small school in Kawakawa is doing some equally stunning stuff.”