Northlanders up for wood training awards

Four Northland individuals and companies are finalists for wood industry training awards from national trainingbody FITEC.

Edward Wilson of Waipu’s Northpine Ltd and Adam Atkinson of Crofts Poles, in Whangarei are in the running for the wood manufacturing trainee of the year.

Sobieski Contractors of Awanui has made a double impact as a finalist in both the training company of the year award and the forestry trainee of the year categories.

Sobieski foreman Anthony Murray is a "big man with a big heart" who always "puts the values of his crew first", says Glen Subritzky, who nominated him as trainee of the year.

Winners of the FITEC training awards will be announced at a gala dinner in Rotorua on September 10.

FITEC chief executive Ian Boyd says the awards play a crucial role in recognising individual and company achievements in the wood industry which is an important part in the New Zealand economy, but is poised to become much more significant given its carbon absorption role for the environment.

- © Fairfax NZ News