They were picked from several hundred young people from a wide range of industries throughout New Zealand to test their trade skills against their peers in the SkillEX competition.
The winner will represent their industry at the WorldSkills competitions, to be held in Japan in November 2007.
The finalists are: Chris Gordon, Free Style Artworks Total Print Production, Wellington; Peter Dalziel, Kale Print and Design, Tauranga; Graeme Allardice, Meteor Printers, Wanganui; Raymond Hall, Tablet Print, Dunedin; Shane Collins, Lithoprint, Wellington;
Kieran Dale, Logick Print & Graphics, Auckland; Blair Hebden, Keeling and Mundy, Palmerston North; Scott Burrows, Griffin Press, Christchurch
Earlier this month the eight put their skills to the test to complete a challenging test job in their workplaces under the supervision of a test judge. All entrants are currently completing or have recently completed their Sheet-fed apprenticeships.
The test job contained various elements that are present in many day-to-day printing jobs including skin tones, textures and contrast effects.
Three finalists have been selected and will attend an interview in Wellington before the winner is decided at the SkillEX finals at Weltec on September 22. An Awards Ceremony will be held at Parliament on September 24.
Many Industry Training Organisations, including PrintNZ Training, will have displays at Weltec from September21-23. Hundreds of students from schools around the Wellington region are expected to take the opportunity to find out more about a career in the trades, along with checking out competitions and other entertainment on show.
PrintNZ Chief Executive Joan Grace says the SkillEX competition is good way to raise the profile of the printing industry and to reinforce the fact that printing offers a desirable career path forward.
“SkillEX not only gives us the chance to boost our industry profile but establishes printing on the same status as other skills-based trades,” she says.
The printing Industry is taking part in SkillEX with the help of its industry partner and supporter BJ Ball Papers.
