The following article by CEO Radley de Silva was published in the 11 February edition of The Border Mail in Albury-Wodonga. We reprint the piece, with permission, here and remind members that the Regional Apprentice Awards recognises apprentice talent throughout the state of Victoria.

A few weeks from now, on the night of 7 March, a group of building apprentices from north-eastern Victoria will gather in Benalla to have their work recognised by their peers and colleagues. These will be the people who erect the homes, stores, churches, libraries, galleries, RSLs, restaurants, council offices—nearly every type of building, really—in your part of Victoria now and in the years to come. It is, in essence, a celebration of the fabric of our community.

Master Builders’ Apprentice Awards, a series of small events of which the gathering in Benalla is an important part, extends to every corner and community of the state. Every year, we review building apprentices for the merits of their skill and achievement; as a matter of fact, this year we have 54 nominations from the North-East region alone.

The efforts of building apprentices do not feature in any architectural journals, and the work represented may not have the biggest budgets or exotic locations, but the value of apprentice skill and promise isn’t measured that way. Instead, we choose to award merit to those who demonstrate an eagerness to meet the conspicuously high standards of builders in your region. By that, I mean each awarded apprentice possesses the attributes that lead to a successful partnership between builder and client.

Recognising the contributions apprentices make is an annual storytelling exercise we enjoy. Of course it helps to elevate the brand of Master Builders, but it also makes a difference in the careers of the apprentices who participate, such as Hamish Rose, who has named Apprentice of the Year in 2016 and has built a strong reputation in his region of Apollo Bay.

“2016 was a ‘pinch myself’ year,” he said. “Winning this award has been great and boosted my confidence. It makes me feel like I can achieve more. The sky is the limit.”

That is the most important reward for any apprentice, I imagine—getting the message that their work is appreciated, makes a difference, and leads to good things for their entire community.

Communities like Albury-Wodonga share in the success of the apprentices—future builders—who have their work reviewed for the Apprentice Awards, and that is one of the reasons it is so valuable to recognise apprentices in parts of Victoria that most of us may seldom visit. It’s that storytelling aspect that compels us to support this program year after year. If you have your own apprentice success story, we urge you to share it with us at [email protected].

Radley de Silva, CEO
Master Builders Association of Victoria