Golden Hammer Apprentice of the Year
When Napier played host to the CRA Apprentices of the Year awards recently, this year’s ceremony took a distinctly memorable turn.
The ‘Golden Hammer Award’ for the top performing apprentice nationally in panelbeating was presented to Te Iwi Biddle, an employee of Taupo firm Forster Panelbeaters Limited.
"This year’s graduation ceremony was very moving," says Greg Keepin, Te Iwi’s MITO Industry Training Advisor.
The conference crowd was stunned by a stirring, impromptu haka performed by Te Iwi’s family, who had travelled over from Australia especially to see him presented with his Golden Hammer award. They also presented him with a special ceremonial cloak.
Te Iwi came into the industry via the Gateway programme at Taupo-nui-a-Tia College. He impressed his employer, Alan Collins, while doing his work experience. So, when the workshop experienced a labour shortage that Christmas, Alan remembered him and asked him to return as an employee.
"He just got on with it" says Alan. "I remembered the quality of his work. Te Iwi was very precise with his work. It’s a special talent to have in an apprentice."
Alan pushed Te Iwi towards doing his qualification because he displayed such motivation. At two years into the employment he was completing a full side and roof replacement on a six month old Holden Commodore.
Since joining Forster Panelbeaters Limited in 2005 Te Iwi has completed his apprenticeship through the NZ Motor Industry Training Organisation (Inc) and is currently working towards completing MITO’s ATech® programme.
Although his employer had already nominated him for the Golden Hammer Award, it was the way Te Iwi behaved when tragedy struck his workplace that really impressed Alan.
When a qualified workmate was struck with leukaemia, Te Iwi stepped in to fill the gap without being asked. Soon afterwards, another qualified technician (and Te Iwi’s supervisor) was killed in an accident.
The loss of a friend and colleague was very hard, as was the reality that the workplace was down to Alan, Te Iwi and one other apprentice.
"Te Iwi stepped up and did what needed doing. We didn’t have to ask and we didn’t have to hire another technician," Alan says.
Known as a quiet guy, Te Iwi often caught the attention of supervisors with the quality of his work when training.
Te Iwi himself is typically low key about his own success, but it’s a story he’d like to see repeated. He is mindful of school students today, like he was, technically-minded but lacking the confidence to push themselves forward.
It’s obvious he appreciates all the help and support he received along the way and feels for school kids who may not grasp the opportunities available to develop their talents, such as MITO’s StartUp® programme.
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