On The Up: Whangārei apprentice called future of New Zealand manufacturing
Whangārei's Devin Gibson from Culham Engineering was named Manufacturing Apprentice of the Year. Photo / M Creative
A Whangārei apprentice from Culham Engineering has won a national award and is credited for representing “the future of New Zealand manufacturing”.
Devin Gibson was named the Manufacturing Apprentice of the Year at the second annual Minister for Manufacturing Awards, held in Wellington on May 27.
He received his award from Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing Cameron Brewer, who praised all the finalists for setting the bar for excellence.
The judges said Gibson was “an outstanding apprentice and emerging tradesperson, demonstrating strong technical skill, maturity and dedication to excellence”.
He is currently completing his Level 4 Engineering Fabrication apprenticeship, in the heavy fabrication strand, with Culham Engineering.
What stood out most to the judging panel was not only Gibson’s technical ability, but the professionalism, leadership potential and resilience he consistently brought to his work.
“The judging panel was particularly impressed by Devin’s ability to think critically, take ownership of challenging tasks and consistently deliver quality outcomes right the first time,” the judges said.
Gibson’s supervisors described him as dependable, disciplined and highly engaged in continuous improvement.
His valued contribution to his team included supporting health and safety, and contributing to improvements in workflow and quality.
Gibson also showed emerging leadership through mentoring and supporting colleagues, including helping train others on specialised machinery and fabrication techniques.
His calm, collaborative approach earned him the respect of peers and supervisors.
“Devin represents the future of New Zealand manufacturing: technically skilled, quality-focused, safety-conscious and committed to continuous improvement,” the judges said.
“He is already making a meaningful contribution to his workplace and industry, and the panel has no doubt he will continue to grow into an outstanding tradesperson and future manufacturing leader.”
Another Northlander, Ben Worthington from Bluefix Boatworks in Ōpua, was also a finalist in the apprenticeship category, supported by Enztec.
The awards, supported by Advancing Manufacturing Aotearoa NZ, recognised excellence in manufacturing across seven key categories.
Brewer said manufacturing contributes around $22 billion a year to New Zealand’s economy and made up 60% of goods exported.
“Innovation and strong execution are critical to staying competitive in a challenging global environment and manufacturing remains vital to New Zealand’s future prosperity,” he said.
David Culham, who founded Culham Engineering in 1958, was praised for continually taking on apprentices to help train the next generation.
In 60 years, the company trained more than 700 apprentices.
Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.