Timber Is Ingrained In This Top Apprentice

19 November 2008

ANDREW George's apprenticeship has opened doors to a career in housing construction.

The 21-year-old from Edgeworth is the first person from the Hunter to win the Master Builders Association's national apprentice of the year award.

It was presented at Parliament House in Canberra on Friday.

Mr George, who completes his four-year carpentry apprenticeship at the end of this month, said yesterday he had always been interested in working with timber.

" I had a lathe when I was a kid and I did woodworking at West Wallsend High," he said.

Mr George is an apprentice through the Master Builders Association's group training scheme and has had hands-on training under the guidance of his host employer, Newcastle builder Phil Bush, a "great mentor".

Mr George is aiming to become a master builder with his own company.

The association's Newcastle executive director Len Blakeney said the award was "testament to the young talent of our apprentices and quality of the training in our region".

Newcastle firm Kingston Building won a major award for its work on St John the Baptist Church at Woy Woy.

A valuable award

Editorial, Page 8


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