Gordon apprentice wins state award

Gordon apprentice Brock Smith has won the Apprentice of the Year Craftsperson Award at the 2022 Master Builders Victorian Apprentice of the Year Awards.

“Good training and the skills learnt at The Gordon has shaped me into an awarding winning apprentice”, shared Mr Smith who was ecstatic at the announcement of his success.

“As the night went on and I realised how many people were nominated, I wasn't very confident of winning. Then, when my name was called, I was so happy. Once I got up there to accept my award and saw how excited my friends and family were for me, it made the award mean even more to me”, continued Mr Smith.

Confident in his career choice to complete a joinery apprenticeship, Mr Smith has carved out a promising career with Coastal Staircases and Balustrades. Owner, Kris Arends, says he has the talent to make an outstanding tradesman.

"Brock is highly competent with an aptitude for figuring things out. He has the right attitude and personality and his jobs are to a high standard.

"When Brock was announced as the winner at the awards, I was both surprised and elated considering the quality of the competition, but well deserved recognition of his talents", shared Mr Arends.   

From a young age Mr Smith had a desire to work with timber, but didn’t commence his training until the age of 25 as a mature aged apprentice.

“Since I was a kid I have always wanted to work with timber and felt I had a good idea of what it took to work in construction. I was given the opportunity by a good friend to have an interview with his boss and it all worked out from there", shared Mr Smith.

John Lane, cabinet making and joinery teacher at The Gordon, nominated Mr Smith for the award, “Brock is a very talented and keen student who excels in his trade of stair building. He loves a challenge and thrives on working on difficult projects like curved and spiral stairs. He even learnt welding so he could build metal spiral stairs for his employer.”

The Master Builders Victorian Apprentice of the Year Awards applauds the outstanding achievements of Victorian apprentices in the building and construction industry.

Image supplied by the Geelong Advertiser.