Richard was announced as the winner in front of 900 people at the Pride In Print Awards at the Sky City Convention Centre in Auckland.
Representing the reel-fed sector of the industry, he beat five other top apprentices from diverse sectors including binding and finishing, digital, paperboard and packaging, screen and sheet-fed. The print apprentice of the year Award is sponsored by industry suppliers Agfa, BJ Ball Papers and Kodak.
Announcing the awards, Joan Grace chief executive of PrintNZ said that the finalists had shown a commitment not only towards their companies and their workmates, but to the learning process as well. She said, "PrintNZ is committed to a process of achievement for the future, and these apprentices represent the future of the industry," she said.
Accepting the award, Richard paid tribute to the other finalists for their efforts and gave particular thanks to and his Wanganui site manager Adam Kerse for their support.
Later he said. "I'm just blown away. In the couple of days I have spent with the other finalists I realised how much knowledge and talent there is in the printing industry. These people were top of their respective fields of printing, so to be chosen as the overall print apprentice of the year is a huge honour."
The award caps a wonderful year for Richard in which he was initially chosen as PrintNZ Training reel-fed apprentice of the year for New Zealand. He came up against other apprentices from companies such as GEON Wellington, Ryco Dies Ltd, Sealed Air (NZ) Hamilton, Tecpak Industries and Logick Print & Graphics Ltd.
However the award also completes a total lifestyle change for Richard, who four years ago came to New Zealand from North Wales, deciding on a new life with his partner and family after he came out of the Royal Navy, swapping a uniform for "civvy street". With nothing obviously beckoning as a career path in the UK, he took a chance on retraining with a printing apprenticeship for APN Print in Wanganui.
Beginning his apprenticeship in January 2004, he spent the next three and a half years completing a structured training including block release courses, practical and competency tests and on-the-job assessments. Now, four years later, his gamble has paid off handsomely. He says, "Coming here is the best thing that ever happened to me."
Dan Blackbourn, general manager of operations at APN Print congratulated Richard and said his achievement signals what commitment and hard work will do for an individual. He said,"This achievement will not only benefit Richard in his career but the company is also better off with the knowledge that Richard now has. All apprentices should be aspiring to win this award. APN Print through its apprenticeship programme hopes to repeat this again in the not-too-distant future with the number of apprentices it has in its ranks."
