TOP APPRENTICES BACK AND BETTER THAN EVER!

Five apprentices have just spent three weeks in the bush developing their future leadership potential. Want to know how they got on?

"An experience I will never forget. It's been the most life-changing three weeks of my life so far." These words from telecommunications apprentice Chris McCutcheon, who recently returned from an ETITO sponsored Outward Bound programme, prove that ETITO's continued support of this programme is warranted.

ETITO Outward Bound apprentices [from left to right] Cole Jackson, Darryl Ferencz, Chris McCutcheon, William Kok and Jermaine Underwood

Designed to develop leadership skills and build the confidence of apprentices who've demonstrated industry leadership potential, the course centred on effective goal-setting and was no walk in the park. Sleeping in the wild, early morning swims and starting every day with a timed three kilometre run meant that apprentices were pushed to their limits!

Jermaine Underwood, a Fisher & Paykel apprentice, says the great opportunity taught him a lot about himself. "I've developed new skills and strengthened the ones I already have. Now I'm going to try my best to apply these to my life, and to my work."

ETCO apprentice, Darryl Ferencz, [who's hosted by Ryan Electrical] says the course changed his whole outlook. "I learnt about my core values, leadership skills, how to work with a group and a lot of valuable life skills. The course is much more than the physical element, it goes a lot deeper."

ETITO will continue to support the initiative next year as a way of building the capabilities of the industry. "These apprentices have been identified as some of the best the industry has and we're confident that the investment we've made in their leadership capabilities will pay-off in the future," says Paul Hollings, ETITO Industry Training Manager.