With entries closing on November 30 for the inaugural Most Valuable Coach (MVC) award, nominations from across New Zealand have highlighted a remarkable group of workplace mentors shaping New Zealand’s skilled workforce.
More than 165 entries have been received by industry training organisation Competenz, covering every corner of the country and every section of the workshop. Nominees range from general managers, production managers and managing directors to foremen, workshop supervisors, fitting and fabrication leads, and small-business owners – all recognised by apprentices and learners they have coached, supported and inspired.
Large organisations with formal training systems, including engineers Buckley Systems, refrigeration business McAlpine Hussmann, Black Steel Mobile and Pact Packaging, as well as smaller firms like R&H Engineering where coaching and mentorship are part of daily work life, have all made MVC nominations.
Competenz general manager employer and learner services Toni Christie says the enthusiasm from apprentices and learners has been phenomenal and reflects the deep respect people have for their mentors.
“These entries prove that great coaching happens everywhere; on the factory floor, in the machine shop, out in the bush or behind the welding mask,” she says. “Whether it’s a foreman teaching the next generation or a business owner investing in their people, these stories capture the heart of what industry training is about.”
Christie says the response has exceeded all expectations and shows how valued skilled trades training is across the economy. “What stands out is how many apprentices say their coach changed the way they think about work – encouraging pride, patience and precision,” she says.
Due to strong industry support, Competenz has extended the search for a national winner and introduced four additional categories to recognise MVCs from small and large organisations in both islands.
“Nominations have come from right across all Competenz industries – manufacturing, mechanical engineering, forestry, marine, printing and sign making, fire protection, plastics, HVAC and RAC, and food and beverage – reflecting the breadth of workplaces the organisation supports nationwide,” Christie says.
Finalists will be selected by a panel of Competenz leaders and training advisors who work directly with learners and employers, bringing first-hand knowledge of what effective coaching looks like in the field. The national winner, to be announced on December 10, will appear on a billboard promoting their organisation and their MVC status, and will receive a trophy, Weber BBQ, meat pack, official MVC merchandise and well-earned bragging rights.
Four runner-up winners from the North and South Islands in both SME and large-business categories will receive either a coffee machine or a Makita Boombox for their workplace.
Competenz is encouraging apprentices and learners who have not yet nominated their workplace legend to enter before the final whistle on November 30 at competenz.org.nz/mvc.