Callum Stuart – Apprentice Joiner

Callum completed his secondary education at Aparima College before embarking on a joinery apprenticeship as a Modern Apprentice with Lloyds Joinery Ltd in Invercargill. Southern Group Training is the Modern Apprentice Coordinator for 18 industries in Southland.

Callum has his own Modern Apprenticeship Coordinator who has developed an individual training plan for him which sets realistic goals and timeframes to achieve them in. The Coordinator, Karen Hogh, meets with Callum on a regular basis and is available as a mentor to both Callum and his employer.

During the course of his apprenticeship Callum must undertake the required theory and practical components of the unit standards required to complete his Level 4 National Certificate in Joinery. The theory components, and some practical, are taught through a series of block courses at the Southern Institute of Technology, while the majority of the practical components are taught in the workplace and assessed either by the workshop assessor or while on block course.

Callum's skills have already been put to the test in the Otago Joinery Manufacturers Association Regional Customwood Awards when he achieved a top three placing in the nil – 400 hour category.

Matthew Cole – Apprentice M & D Engineer

Matthew Cole is an outstanding apprentice who has the ability to go far in his chosen career path of engineering. He has both the academic and practical ability as well as being an extremely personable young man. Matthew evaluated the various career training options in engineering and chose the apprenticeship pathway for the valuable practical skills and knowledge it would provide.

Matthew was an outstanding student during his pre trade engineering course at the Southern Institute of Technology and was employed by Southern Group Training which placed him on secondment with NZAS. Matthew has continued to apply himself to his studies with a view to completing his apprenticeship in the optimum timeframe and is on track to do so.

In 2004 Matthew entered the Otago Southland SkillEX competition in the Engineering Welding Section which he won. He went on to represent Otago Southland in the National Final held in Auckland and won a silver medal.

Michael Kortright – Apprentice Heavy Fabrication Engineer

Michael attended Aparima College for four years before enrolling in the Level 2 National Certificate in Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering at the end of his sixth form year. During his pre apprenticeship course Michael did one day a week on work experience which helped him- decide that a career in engineering was the career path for him.

He was offered an apprenticeship with Southern Group Training and seconded to McNaught Engineering where he has just completed the third year of his apprenticeship. The practical elements of his qualification are taught on the job and through annual three weekly block courses at the Southern Institute of Technology.

The theory elements are taught through weekly evening classes. Once Michael has completed the theory assessment for a unit standard he is then able to be assessed in the practical elements, providing that he is able to prove that he is competent in the various tasks.

To achieve practical competency he must be able to complete the required practical tasks consistently well, unsupervised, in a commercial timeframe, using safe work practices. This level of competency is gained through practical work experience on job and through a series of block courses.

Scott Wallis – Carpentry Apprentice

Scott attended Gore High School for three years during which time he was employed as a builders' labourer during the weekends and school holidays. This work gave Scott a better idea of what was involved in being a carpenter and he decided that this was the career path for him.

Having left school to get a job Scott was fortunate that he was able to secure a carpentry apprenticeship. Not having done the carpentry pre trade course at the Southern Institute of Technology, Scott is having to complete his off job theory work through a series of block courses held at S.I.T. each year. This requires Scott's employer to release him for fixed periods of time each year.

Scott has completed his Stage One block courses which included the very necessary unit standard ‘demonstrate knowledge of safe work practice on construction sites', and has now completed his Stage Two block course.

Scott needs to be assessed as competent in the theory components of his unit standards before he can be assessed as practically competent. Practical competency could be defined as being able to complete a task repetitively well, in a commercial timeframe, unsupervised and using safe work practices.

Travis Tecofsky – Apprentice Carpenter

Having completed his NCEA Level 1 and 2 at Aparima College Travis successfully applied to Southern Group Training for a carpentry apprenticeship and has been placed with Nigel Carran Builder Ltd for his practical on job training.

To complete the Level 4 National Certificate in Carpentry Travis must complete a range of unit standards comprising both theory and practical elements. Travis' off job theory training is being provided through distance learning. He has a ‘box of books' which contains theory workbooks which he must complete and return for marking on a regular basis if he is to make good progress through his studies.

It is to Travis' advantage to put together a study schedule to make sure that he has put time aside each week to work on his assignments.

Travis is also required to keep a log book of the various tasks he has completed in the workplace as evidence of his growing competency in various practical unit standards. To achieve practical competency Travis has to be able to complete the required practical tasks consistently well, unsupervised, in a commercial timeframe, using safe work practices. It is the apprentice's responsibility to keep and regularly update his logbook so that assessments can be undertaken in a timely manner.

Travis' Training Manager keeps in regular contact to provide support and guidance as and when required.