The building industry is chiselling out young talent in Ohope. Local carpentry apprentice Ryan Motion has won the Bay of Plenty's Registered Master Builders 2010 Apprentice of the Year.

The 20-year-old employee for Baybuild, Whakatane, will compete against the country's top apprentices in the national Apprentice of the Year finals in Wellington later this month.

Ryan Motion, winner of the 2010 Bay of Plenty Registered Master Builders Apprentice of the Year competition, is pictured here with his employer, Alan Walker of Baybuild, Whakatane.

The winners of each regional competition will be tested in an interview with the national judging panel and a practical skills component.

Judges were impressed with Ryan's exceptional standards, and believed he was a worthy winner of the regional title.

'Ryan was confident, showed good knowledge and his building skills were of a very high standard,” judges said.

Principal sponsor Carters chief executive Brent Waldron says he is delighted with the standard of entries this year.

'The number of quality finalists is a great result, especially given the difficult times the building industry has faced.
'It is also a pleasing reflection of the industry's goal to raise the standard of building in New Zealand.”

Second place in the regional competition went to Tom Storey, 19, of Opotiki with Isaac Feeney, 23, of Mount Maunganui, placed third.

Ryan received an Outward Bound leadership course valued up to $3600 and either a study grant towards the completion of study or postgraduate study in any construction or business course valued up to $2000, or a Carters voucher for a substantial purchase of up to $1500 for winning the regional competition.

Ryan is completing his carpentry apprenticeship through the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation.

Tom Storey came second at the Bay of Plenty's Registered Master Builders 2010 Apprentice of the Year competition. He is pictured here with Carters branch manager Warren Haydock and RMBF board director David Fabish.