Masterlink messageboard

UPDATES FROM THE MASTERLINK MENTORED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMME—INCLUDING AN INTRODUCTION TO NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER PETE SHIELDS.

Surviving lockdown

When New Zealand plunged back into lockdown in August, Masterlink kept up the communication with hosts and apprentices, making sure they were informed and providing apprentices with quizzes and study aids to keep the brain cells ticking while work was on hold.

Our Regional Managers checked in with their apprentices by phone and text to ensure they were coping OK—and looked after their own mental and physical fitness whilst working from home.

RM Colin Kilpatrick spent some quality time with granddaughter Izzy; Russell Walsh was reminded to take regular breaks by his pup Bella; Bob McCoy enjoyed walks on the beachfront right outside his Hawke’s Bay home; Brendan Parker had a laugh with his young family; Sam Timlin got the nursery ready for baby #1 (welcome Andreas!); and Rupert Sanford-Scutt headed out for a run each day to get in training for his first Auckland marathon.

Working from home during lockdown gave the Masterlink Regional Managers a chance to spend some quality time with family and get out for some healthy exercise.

MEET PETE SHIELDS: OUR NEW BDM

It’s excellent to have Pete Shields joining the Masterlink team in the new role of Business Development Manager. Working out of the Auckland office, Pete’s focus is on engaging with prospective apprentices to let them know about the pathways into a plumbing apprenticeship.

He is also enjoying meeting employers to understand what they want and expect from the industry in terms of apprentice training. “I aim to assist in any way I can to grow the industry by helping apprentices to achieve and employers to succeed,” he says.

After 18 years with the NZ Police, Pete decided to carry out a plumbing apprenticeship, going on to run his own plumbing business in Paeroa, where he and Jo, his wife of 40 years, settled in 1988 and still live today.

He also worked part-time as a plumbing tutor at Wintec, going on to become full time before moving to MIT in Manukau in 2016, where he looked after the Plumbing School as Curriculum Leader for the past four years. “I have a huge passion for seeing training provided that results in quality tradesmen and tradeswomen in the industry,” he says.

Pete admires anyone who can overcome adversity and says he really enjoyed helping apprentices with learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, during his tutoring career. “I want to continue to ensure that we can assist apprentices with similar challenges in this new role.”

Half Scottish and half Czech by descent, Pete came to New Zealand at the age of four, growing up in Taupo before moving to Whangarei. He and Jo have three grown-up children and he says family time is very important to them. “As our kids grew up, we ensured they had every opportunity to play sport. Our youngest daughter has played for the New Zealand national ice hockey and inline hockey teams, and our son has playd for the men’s national inline hockey team.” Mountain biking and fishing are his favourite spare time interests.

New Masterlink Business Development Manager Pete Shields will be familiar to many from his years as a plumbing tutor and curriculum leader.

END OF YEAR PRESSURE: JANDALS TO SAFETY BOOTS

As we head at a rate of knots towards the end of the year, it’s a sad fact that in the lead up to Christmas, and when we return to work after the holiday season, we experience increased levels of serious injuries and fatalities at work.

Remember, it’s a stressful time of year, with the additional pressure to meet deadlines and finish off projects, more people on the road, issues at home that may mean you haven’t got your mind fully on the job—and no doubt the emotional toll due to nearly two years of Covid-19 related disruption and uncertainty. All these issues can contribute to potential for accidents and incidents at work. ■ No deadline is worth a fatality—make sure you have enough time and resources to do the job safely. ■ Take a moment before you go back out to work in 2022 to reflect on what you’ll be doing and what can hurt you. Make sure you have moved from a holiday mindset to a work one.

AERLUX™ TECHNOLOGY

Designed in New Zealand for mains pressure situations.

The Aerlux™ technology gives you the freedom to create your ideal shower through unique spray options. The Aerlux™ jet draws in air, adding volume to each water droplet, creating a softer more voluminous shower. With two jets to choose from you can transform your shower to suit your desires.

AERLUX™ JETS FOR MAINS PRESSURE:

Orange

For a softer shower

Purple

For a harder shower

AIR INLET

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.FELTON.CO.NZ

FATHER’S DAY FISHING PRIZE

To celebrate Father’s Day on 5 September, Masterlink and Master Plumbers gave away three fishing prize bundles, generously donated by Rheem New Zealand. Prize draw entrants just had to tell us about their dad’s love of fishing and tag him in the Masterlink and Master Plumbers Facebook comments.

Congratulations to our lucky winners Georgia Goodman, Sally Carey and Keri Newman and we hope their nominated dads have a blast out on the water with their prizes. They’ve each won a Shimano rod & reel set and Rheem branded chilly bag, fleece tee and camo light cap with handy bottle opener on the peak!

Congrats to Sally Carey, one of our three draw prize winners. “Hubby loves fishing with a passion and loves to share it with our girls,” said Sally in her entry.

Masterlink milestones

WELCOME

Warm welcome to new Masterlink apprentices— and a big thanks to their host employers: Joseph Ballour – Heron Plumbing, Auckland Joshua Marshall – Heron Plumbing, Auckland Tai Davis – Ben Mayne Plumbing, Auckland Hongshi Feng – Bassett Plumbing & Drainage, Auckland Latiume Fosita – Bassett Plumbing & Drainage, Auckland Scott Henderson – Cooke Plumbing Company, Auckland Tarquin McKinley – Ben Mayne Plumbing, Auckland Sebastian Roberts – Fletcher Plumbing, Auckland Paul Ta’Ase – Kerry Drainage, Auckland Matthew Heke – MT Carroll, Napier Kahn Anderson-Gillies – Woodroofe Plumbing, Paeroa Carter Tahitahi – Woodroofe Plumbing, Paeroa Jakob O’Dwyer – Morrinsville Plumbing & Gas Kaesin Harris – CJ Cant, Hamilton Raphael Smith – Plumbing & Gas Works, Hamilton Ethan Whale – Mitchell Plumbing, Tauranga Tukairangi Pitiroi – Graeme Edwards Plumbing, Rotorua Russell Hohaia – Climate & Plumbing, New Plymouth Patrick Muldowney – Tech Mechanical, Napier Brodhi Curtis – PlumberCo, Wellington Alexander Pickett – Imax Plumbing & Gas, Wellington Daniel Cox – Aqua Pro Plumbing and Drainage, Christchurch Zak Herring – NCD Plumbing, Christchurch Scott Davis – Williamson Drainage Contractors, T/A Drainpro, Rolleston Dylan Robertson – Hardy Plumbing, Wanaka Keeley Sexton-Johnson – Queenstown Plumbing & Gas, Arrowtown Aaron Adams – Mains Plumbers 2004, Dunedin Anton Stoddard – Impact Roofing & Plumbing, Dunedin Ethan Pollard – Top Notch Roofing, Mosgiel Jonathan Milnes-Win – Atkinson Plumbing, Invercargill

QUALIFIED

Congratulations to the latest Masterlink apprentices to gain qualifications: Michael Borrell, Manie Bruwer, Ethan Clements, Raiden Keeble-Gardiner, Kane Milburn, Esmey Parata and Vinny Roth in Plumbing and Gasfitting; and Lewis Cox in Plumbing.

Jack Powell, mentioned last edition, collecting his Plumbing National Certificate from Regional Manager Colin Kilpatrick. Jack received his training from two Auckland Masterlink hosts: BT Plumbing & Gas and Campbell Plumbing & Gasfitting. Thanks to both!

Raiden Keeble-Gardiner with boss Dave Strong of Morrinsville Plumbing & Gas, who champions apprenticeships as Masterlink Chairman on the national Master Plumbers Board.

Huge thanks to Michelle Curtis at Piping Hot Plumbing & Drainage in Whanganui for the support she has given Ethan Clements throughout his plumbing & gasfitting apprenticeship.

NZ