Dilanka Attale our top apprentice

PrintNZ has named Dilanka Attale New Zealand’s top printing apprentice.

Dilanka Attale from Kiwi Labels in Christchurch has claimed the Apprentice of the Year title.

Ruth Cobb, general manager of PrintNZ, made the announcement last Friday at the Pride In Print Awards. She said, “The finalists are people who have chosen print as a career and they have excelled in their training. The awards is also about the companies that recognise the talent in their people and give them an opportunity to learn. And it’s about the people inside the businesses who challenge the trainees to become the best they can be.”

She thanked all the sponsors involved and invited Lisa Hegh from long standing sponsor BJ Ball Papers and Tony Sayle, president of PrintNZ to the stage to help make the presentation. She also thanked Competenz, which works closely with PrintNZ in training.

She said, “Dilanka demonstrated an incredibly thorough technical knowledge of the work he does. He has a real passion for the work and for the people he works with and the business he works for.”

Prior to winning the Apprentice of the Year Award, Dilanka Attale become a sector winner as the BJ Ball Papers Packaging Apprentice of the Year and he also won the Jenkins Award for Top Label Printer.

Receiving the award, Dilanka Attale thanked everyone involved in his training including his family. He said, “This is awesome. I am grateful for the recognition I have received. To the next apprentices: take it from me, don’t give up. Keep knocking and remember why you started.”

He joined Kiwi Labels in 2012, initially starting as a printer’s assistant, establishing a great understanding of the flexo process and label production. Andrew Thomson, technical manager at Kiwi Labels said, “Dilanka’s enthusiastic nature and high attention to detail landed him a position with our digital team where he rapidly developed his craft, producing exceptional award-winning product. Dilanka has a creative and innovative problem-solving ability and a great passion for his industry.”

Source: NewZealand Printer