NorthTec hosted more than 70 guests at what is believed to be the first combined meeting of the Certified Builders Association of New Zealand, the Registered Master Builders Federation, the New Zealand Institute of Building and the Building and Construction Industry Training Association at its Future Trades campus yesterday (subs 19 August). The President of the Whangarei branch of the Certified Builders Association of New Zealand Howard Harnett was very impressed to see the Future Trades facility now that it is fully operational. "We are very impressed. If I were an apprentice I wouldn't want to go back to work!" 17 NorthTec students were presented with their Apprenticeship Certificates and five NorthTec students received their Leading Hands certificates by NorthTec chief executive Terry Barnett in front of an audience of key industry representatives. The industry guests then enjoyed the opportunity to network with each other. "NorthTec is delighted to provide a venue for industry to meet and develop their relationships at our new Future Trades facility," said Mr Barnett. "NorthTec strongly believes in forging strong partnerships with industry and providing training that is responsive to the changing needs of industry. Events such as this allow us to do just that." The meeting at NorthTec's purpose-built Future Trades facility provided some of the key suppliers who worked on the construction of the building to showcase their products to a unique combined industry audience. Speedwall, Rondo and GIB made presentations on the night. Speedwall is a new product used for all the internal walls in the Future Trades building - the most extensive use of the product in the Northern region. "Our local industry guests were stunned by the building and the facility," said NorthTec's Carpentry Programme Area Manager Peter Dalton.