Golden Trowel Award Showcases Products and Skills
| Winners: Apprentices - Lester Tibbles, Brent Sheather, Teacher - Geoffrey Pollack |
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The 9th Biennial Golden Trowel Award, organised by the Concrete Masonry Association of Australia and TAFE NSW, was held at Bathurst in NSW on 21-22 September 2009.
Winner of the 2009 Golden Trowel Award was the TAFE NSW Western Institute team from Bathurst College – apprentices Lester Tibbles and Brent Sheather, with their teacher/team leader Geoffrey Pollack. A Bathurst team won the previous 2007 Award but, of course the 2009 team was made up of different apprentices and even a different teacher.
Thirteen teams competed for the prestigious award – 8 from NSW and one each from ACT, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. Each team, comprising a class teacher, Stage 2 student and Stage 3 student, completed a detailed building project to a set plan with a given quantity of concrete blocks. (See list of competitors below)
For onlookers, the quality of work and workmanship was astonishing. Each team seemed to approach the task in a different way, but the final projects were indistinguishable to anyone without detailed industry experience. The judges were industry professionals and trainers.
The competition proved an ideal platform to showcase the features of concrete block construction and also the skills of the competing apprentices.
After the competition each competing team was recognised at an industry dinner with presentations of “gold” spirit levels. Most of the teams were formed after competitions held across each state or in the case of NSW teams, across their TAFE institutes. It was an honour for each team member to be representing their state or Institute at the event.
Nigel Croke was a member of the wining team in 2007 and went on to represent Australia in Brick and Block Laying at the 2009 WorldSkills Competition in Calgary, Canada in 2009 where he won a Bronze Medal. Nigel was present during the 2009 Golden Trowel Award at Bathurst, where he said that his experience in the previous competition had completely changed his attitude to his work.
“It wasn’t just about laying bricks anymore, I could see much greater challenges, and different ways to approach the job” Nigel now works in Sydney, and says the majority of work he is now asked to do is more complex, often involving interesting architecture.
CMAA’s Executive Director, Alan Pearson expressed confidence in the skills demonstrated at the Golden Trowel Award. Alan said “Young tradesmen like the competitors in this award are critical to the future of our industry. They are being creative developing exacting skills and are efficient in their craft.”
“It is a great credit to their teachers and also their employers who play a critical role in apprenticeship training. They encourage and support their apprentices to achieve higher standards and great skills.”
The CMAA NSW Committee organised the event with TAFE NSW Western Institute, Bathurst – members supplied blocks for the tasks as well as giving their time to judge the completion. CMAA NSW members are:
• Adbri Masonry
• Austral Masonry
• Baines Masonry
• Boral Masonry
• Rivcrete Brick & Block
CMAA wishes to thank the generous sponsors of the 2009 Golden Trowel Award. |
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| Australian Masonry Pty Ltd | Brickmart | Bunnings Warehouse Bathurst
| Columbia Concrete Block Machine | Conrina Constructions | CTR
Pacific Pty Ltd | E-Masonry | Grace Australia | Grey Bayliss Brick
Supplies | Recochem Inc The next Golden Trowel Award will be held in 2011. |
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Golden Trowel Award 2009 Competitors
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College |
Teacher |
Student |
Student |
| Albury TAFE NSW – Riverina Institute |
Glen Kilpatrick | Zack Philpot | Rhys Scott |
| Bathurst TAFE NSW – Western Institute |
Geoffrey Pollack | Lester Tibbles | Brent Sheather |
| CITEA Construction Industry Training and Employment Association, ACT |
Lynne Sheffield | Tim Ratz | Stephen Hynes |
| Coffs Harbour TAFE NSW – North Coast Institute |
Frank Phillips | Jake Carr | Darren Pithers |
| Granville TAFE NSW – South Western Sydney Institute |
Greg Ible | Jonathon Kelly | Adam Krohn |
| Miller TAFE NSW – South Western Sydney Institute |
Paul Pecotich | Jordan Kuprianova | Thomas Field |
| Newcastle TAFE NSW – Hunter Institute |
Geoff Towns | Asarri McPhee | Jake Mills |
| Nirimba TAFE NSW – Western Sydney Institute |
Gregory Owen | Sunny Chan | Nathan Horswell |
| Wollongong TAFE NSW – Illawarra Institute |
Colin Woolmer | Joel Mayne | Cain Keating |
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Queensland Yeronga TAFE |
Larry Pinkerton | Martin Morgan | Paul Morgan |
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South Australia TAFESA Gilles Plains |
Barry Dandridge | Adam Miller | Joseph Carbone |
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Victoria Holmesglen Institute of TAFE |
Richard Reynolds | Gavin Hallam | Ryan Ginesi |
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Western Australia Swan TAFE |
Eddie Campbell | Ben Stevens | Ashleigh Porter |
Sponsoring Members
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