Awards – “Honest and hardworking” Wellington apprentice wins Plumbing World Scholarship

Wellington apprentice Vincent (Vinny) Roth has won a Plumbing World Scholarship at the national 2021 New Zealand Plumbing Awards, held in Blenheim on Friday 26 March.

Vinny is in the final year of his Masterlink plumbing and gasfitting apprenticeship. He originally came to EG Glennie & Co as a casual labourer, but his hard work and reliability led them to offer him an apprenticeship.

Established in 1928, Glennies provides a wide range of services including plumbing, gasfitting, drainage, roofing and solar water heating in domestic and commercial properties in the Wellington region.

The company is committed to training the next generation of skilled tradespeople with a revolving door policy of taking on a new apprentice as each of their existing apprentices qualify.

Company Director Mike Gooch said Vinny always approaches problems with a positive mindset and has grown in confidence hugely in the last 12 months.

“Vinny is a well-liked, respected and important part of our business. He is reliable, honest and hardworking. He is always ready to lend a hand to his teammates – and that attribute alone is of the utmost importance to our team here at Glennies.”

Vinny talks confidently to other tradespeople and explains things well to the younger apprentices. He has worked very hard at his craft and is deservedly starting to reap the benefits of his consistent, diligent approach to his career. He continues to develop his broad knowledge base and welcomes more challenging tasks.

Vinny went to a residential address to clear a blocked stormwater drain and discovered it was filled with roots. After a long struggle over several days, his perseverance paid off and he managed to pull out a seven-metre-long root, saving the customer a costly excavation.

29-year-old Vinny will be sitting his trade exams later this year and Mike Gooch has every confidence that he will continue to grow and improve as a qualified tradesman.

Plumbing World Scholarships are awarded to Masterlink apprentices who have demonstrated diligence in their studies and a passion for the industry.

Vincent wins a trophy, a certificate and $1000 to spend at his local Plumbing World branch.

The New Zealand Plumbing Awards acknowledge the many positive achievements and success stories in the industry and are presented at a gala dinner on the final night of the annual New Zealand Plumbing Conference. Organised by Master Plumbers, the national conference has been held for over 100 years and is the premier event in the plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying industry, with attendees coming from all over the country.

Master Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers NZ Inc (Master Plumbers) is the national membership organisation for plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying businesses, with 18 regional Associations and Branches across New Zealand. Companies go through a Quality Assurance programme to become a member. Members are provided with a wide range of resources and training opportunities to support them in staying up to date with the latest technologies, products and compliance requirements. Master Plumbers advocates on behalf of members and the plumbing industry. The association organises the annual New Zealand Plumbing Conference, culminating in the prestigious New Zealand Plumbing Awards, which recognises excellence in the industry.

Masterlink, a group training scheme owned by Master Plumbers, provides managed mentored apprenticeships in plumbing, drainlaying and gasfitting across New Zealand, with Regional Managers supporting the apprentices and the businesses who host them during their training.