THE COLD winds of the antipodean winter also herald the awards season for the manufacturing sector, with two apprentices in the metal working sector lauded for their achievements.
Jesse McGrath, a teenager hailing from Berry, was named Apprentice of the Year in the sheet metal trade by the Sheetmetal Industry Association.
McGrath is a fourth year apprentice at Bomaderry Engineering. He travelled to Sydney on Friday for the award ceremony and was surprised by his win.
Separately, third year apprentice Sean Coffey was awarded the Coregas/Welding Technology Institute of Australia (WTIA)’s Young Tradesperson of the Year for 2007.
Coffey is an apprentice with RCR Tomlinson. He was presented with his award at the annual WTIA Awards Dinner in Sydney, as part of the National Manufacturing Week activities. Included in the award is a two-week study trip to Germany and Austria to allow the up-and-coming metal worker to explore innovations and ideas.
The award process included a practical examination and an essay component, with the latter seeing Sean produce the results that ultimately saw him chosen ahead of his peers.

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