Three TAFE NSW – Northern Sydney Institute (NSI) carpentry and joinery students have received an award at the 2010 Master Builders Association (MBA) Awards held during November.
Mitchell Roberts and Craig Cooper both received the 4th Year Apprentice of the Year Award, while Clayton Walsh received 2nd Year Apprentice of the Year Award.
Since beginning his Certificate III in Carpentry, Mitchell has won the 2009 Northern Suburbs division, MBA Apprentice of the Year Award and the MBA Alvin Neate Award for Top Student in Carpentry & Joinery (Certificate III).
Mitchell has also received the Midcoast Timber Award, an award presented to the NSI carpentry and joinery student with the highest marks over the three years of their studies.
Mitchell currently works for Grindly Construction, where he is in the final months of his apprenticeship.
“I’m hoping to stay with the company next year and would like to move up the ranks,” he said.
“I’ve always really enjoyed building and carpentry and in the future would like to become a site manager.
Craig, who jointly received the award with Mitchell was equally excited to win the award. Craig currently works at a joinery factory and is about to complete the final year of his apprenticeship.
“I didn’t except to win, so it was great news for me,” he said.
“My boss offered a lot of encouragement and is quite happy with my recent results.”
Fellow NSI student Clayton Walsh began studying at NSI in 2008. Nearing the end of this course he was offered an apprenticeship with the MBA apprenticeship scheme and was placed with MIRVAC constructions.
Clayton also won the NSI Hornsby College carpentry section “Outstanding Effort in the Classroom Award’ in 2009.
An exceptional student, Clayton said he couldn’t be happier winning the 2nd Year Apprentice of the Year Award.
“I was very pleased with myself, I feel like I’ve done a lot of hard work,” he said.
“Working in commercial carpentry can be quite demanding and usually requires a lot of extra hours to get the job done on time.”