Northern Territory apprentice Rory Milnerwas named Master Builders National Apprentice of Yearfor 2018 at the Master Builders National Excellence in Building and Construction Awards in Adelaide on the weekend.
"Congratulations to Rory for his outstanding achievement. He's done himself proud and is a role model for apprentices in our industry and those considering embarking on a career in building and construction," Denita Wawn, CEO of Master Builders Australia.
"We also recognise the contribution of his employer Sunbuild which took Rory on as an apprentice, given him training, support, and opportunities to develop and excel," she said.
"Rory is a driven, focused and hardworking individual who seeks responsibility and thrives on tackling new roles. He has stepped into leadership roles on numerous projects he's been involved in and uses his knowledge to mentor others and share his skills and experience," Denita Wawn said.
"His Award highlights the fantastic opportunities that our industry offers young people to build fulfilling and rewarding careers. We want more parents and teachers to be aware that training to obtain a building trade qualification is as valid as a uni degree," she said.
According to Dave Malone, Executive Director of Master Builders Northern Territory, Rory's commitment to learning and developing his skills has resulted in his success.
"Throughout Rory's career with Sunbuild he has constantly been allocated additional responsibilities and supervisory roles due to his skills, experience and work ethic," Dave Malone said.
"On every project he has worked on he has been in charge of various aspects of the build, from managing a crew of direct hire employees, managing subcontractors and organising suppliers," he said.
"Master Builders NT are very proud of what Rory has achieved over the short time he has been in the industry and we are confident he will be an asset to our industry in the future," David Malone said.
