Gold medal winners with Chief of Army Major General Lou Gardiner (L to R) Sapper Michael Dean, Private Kirsty Lister, MAJ GEN Gardiner, Sapper Peter Fuller. Please credit photograph with the following: Photo courtesy of NZ Motor Industry Training Organisation (Inc).
23 September 2008
The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) Worldskills team picked up three gold medals at the biennial Worldskills NZ National Finals held at WelTec in Petone last weekend.
The gold medal winners are as follows: Carpentry - Sapper Michael Dean, Plumbing - Sapper Peter Fuller, Restaurant Services and ‘Best in Region’ - Private Kirsty Lister.
The team of eight NZDF trade trainees had to compete against trade trainees and apprentices from polytechnics and technical institutes from around New Zealand.
“Our team did exceptionally well and our three gold medal winners may be selected as part of the New Zealand Team that will travel to Calgary in Canada next year for the WorldSkills International competition,” said team manager Lieutenant Rick Anderson.
National finalists are sourced from the eight regional Worldskills NZ competitions, direct from industry or apprentice block courses. Skills categories at the event include automotive engineering, bricklaying, electrical wiring and cookery.
“Worldskills provides a fantastic opportunity for our NZDF trade trainees to demonstrate their level of expertise and to show that their training is second to none,” said Lt Anderson.
Private Kirsty Lister was also part of a team from the NZDF Joint Forces Catering School which took out the top honours in the Nestlé Toque d’Or competition in September.
ENDS
Hometowns of winners:
Sapper Michael Dean - Oamaru
Private Kirsty Lister - New Plymouth
Sapper Peter Fuller - Auckland
For individual photographs of the winners in action or further information please contact Ally Clelland, Defence Public Relations 04 496 0273 or 021 569 130.