Industry was urged to take full advantage of the Government’s $1000 subsidy for companies signing on new apprentices at the print industry Apprentice Awards and PrintNZ Conference Opening Dinner on 2 May.

This annual event celebrates the achievements of the top print industry apprentices, diploma trainees, workplace trainers and companies involved in workplace training.

The combined Apprentice Awards and PrintNZ Conference Opening Dinner took place in Wellington ahead of the PrintNZ Day of Development one-day conference on 3 May.

The event began with the presentation of certificates and prizes to the Apprentice of the Year finalists (listed below), with the winner of this prestigious award announced at the Pride In Print Awards on 3 May.

John Cudby, general manager of the Communications and Media ITO, and Lisa Hegh of ICON Digital Printing Papers – Apprentice of the Year Award sponsor – took to the stage to present the awards.

Lisa says: “We are very proud to be associated with the Apprentice Awards and Apprentice of the Year. Industry training plays an important role in the development of our future industry leaders.”

CMITO’s John Cudby says: “This event provides an excellent platform for the print industry to celebrate its top apprentices – all of whom have an excellent attitude, commitment to learning and passion for the industry.

“It is also very important to acknowledge the efforts of our workplace trainers and the companies that provide their staff with the opportunity to gain industry qualifications.

“The Government is currently offering a $1000 subsidy for new apprentices signing into training, in what is a limited time offer. Make sure your company takes advantage of this offer. Contact our team about this now.

“There has never been a better time to train,” John says.

Three other awards were presented during the evening. The Top Management Trainee Award, sponsored by Trust4Skills, was presented to Shelly Fawcett from Format Print in Petone.

The Workplace Trainer Award was presented to Graeme Challis from Amcor Cartons Australasia in Christchurch.

The Company Training Award was presented to Amcor Cartons Australasia.   

The Apprentice Awards concluded with the presentation of two final awards: the Graphic Arts Prepress Federation Scholarship was awarded to the top digital apprentice Nicholas Gribble of Licensys NZ Holdings. The Jenkins Award was awarded to the top label printer Conrad Vaney of MR Print Group.

CMITO Board chairman, Nigel Harrison, closed the evening with a strong message to industry to use the successful workplace training system.

The audience was then treated to dinner and the entertaining anecdotes of guest speaker Mark Sorenson (pictured at top), Black Sox World Champion. Mark has worked in the print industry for almost 20 years.

The Apprentice Awards are supported by the following organisations: Blue Print Imaging, Yoobee School of Design, Newspaper Publishers Association, Print Finishers Association, PrintNZ, Trust4Skills and the NZ Paper Forum.

Apprentice of the Year finalists:

• Nicholas Gribble (Digital Processes for Print)
   Licensys NZ Holdings, Auckland
   
• Michael Brown (Binding & Finishing)
   APN Print, Tauranga
   
• Conrad Vaney (Reel-fed Printing)
   MR Print Group, Hastings
   
• Shane Baskiville (Reel-fed Printing)
   APN Print, Ellerslie
   
• Regan Quaife (Screen Printing) – WINNER – Apprentice of the Year Award
   Commercial Signs Print & Plastic, Tauranga

Top Management Trainee Award finalists

• Shelly Fawcett – Format, Petone (WINNER)
• Karyn Wilson – Printable Solutions, Christchurch
• Samuel Donaldson – Screen Printing Solutions, Hamilton

Workplace Trainer Award finalists

• Graeme Challis, Amcor Cartons Australasia (WINNER)
• Mike Horne, Auckland Community Print (Fairfax)
• Clinton Sampson, Interpac Packaging

Company Training Award finalists

• APN Print New Zealand
• Auckland Community Print (Fairfax)
• Amcor Cartons Australasia (WINNER)

Caption: Apprentice of the Year finalists from left: Nicholas Gribble, Licensys NZ Holdings; Shane Baskiville, APN Print Ellerslie; Award sponsor Lisa Hegh, ICON Digital Printing Papers; Michael Brown, APN Print Tauranga, CMITO general manager John Cudby; Regan Quaife, Commercial Signs Print & Plastic; Conrad Vaney, MR Print Group.

Caption: Heather Letfus from Trust4Skills (award sponsor) with Top Management Trainee Award winner Shelly Fawcett from Format Print.

Caption: Workplace Trainer Award winner Graeme Challis from Amcor Cartons Australia in Christchurch with Lisa Hegh from ICON Digital Printing Papers.

Caption: Company Training Award winner Amcor Cartons Australasia, represented by Alan Scott, with Lisa Hegh from ICON Digital Printing Papers.