108 | BUILDING Craig Homes Development palmerston.north.central@laserelectrical.co.nz | www.laserelectrical.co.nz 20 Dahlia Street, Palmerston North | Ph: 06 3552944 Craig Homes Development Proudly supporting With over 120 years combined experience, we have the solutions to all your Plumbing, Gas and Drainage needs. Proudly supporting Craig Homes Development www.qualityplumbingsolutions.co.nz 06 354 0880 Firm celebrates apprentices’ success Craig Homes Development apprentices Jacob Turner and Kaylm Smith competed at the Manawatu regional heat of the 2026 NZCB Apprentice Challenge. T T Rosa Watson For Craig Homes Development, staff training and development is a priority — and the Palmerston-North based company is celebrating the recent success of its apprentices. The Palmerston North-based company was started in 2019 by BJ Craig and wife, Rebecca, with a focus on residential building work in Palmerston North and the surrounding area. “We started, as many do, with just myself and a van full of tools. As the company grew and more staff were required, the plan was always to take on and train apprentices,” BJ says. “I’d been very fortunate ... to work under many great carpenters and to learn many different skills to help in renovating and new build work.” He says investing in staff is crucial to creating a team that strives for excellence in its work. “We believe that good culture produces great outcomes, and so we work hard creating a good working environment for our staff, sub trades and ultimately our clients.” In the first couple of years the company took on and trained its first two apprentices, and soon followed with a third. “We have intentionally kept our team small with myself and three staff on the tools alongside me,” BJ says. They continue to train apprentices and currently have one nearing completion and another halfway into his training. This year, Craig Homes Development apprentices Jacob Turner and Kaylm Smith competed at the Manawatu regional heat of the 2026 NZCB Apprentice Challenge. Kalym — who is nearing completion of his apprenticeship — was named top apprentice for the region. “He worked hard on the day and managed his time well,” BJ says. “The challenge of having an audience is often tricky to manage but he did well, and came away with the top prize.” Competitors were provided a set of plans for the project one week before the competition, providing time to study the plans and prepare. “(Kalym) chose to use the competition as a way to test himself and push himself to see how he’d go.” BJ says everyone at Craig Homes Development is extremely proud of Kalym and stoked to see him get the win. “It’s great to know as a company that we are producing high quality tradesmen.” Kalym is now studying the NZ Building Code ahead of an exam at the national final, and preparing for competition challenges. “Making it to the nationals is fantastic as it gives our apprentices a taste of what’s happening around other parts of New Zealand,” BJ says. “They get to rub shoulders with 14 other apprentices from around the country and take part in the annual NZCB conference, with an all-expenses paid three-day trip to Auckland to attend.” It’s not the first success the company has enjoyed at the competition; its apprentices also made it to the national competition in 2023 and 2024. “The apprenticeship scheme is hugely important to the building trade. It’s an amazing way to learn the building craft while making a living. An apprentice in the right environment will get to try new things regularly, be exposed to challenging tasks and work alongside incredibly talented tradespeople.” He says across all trades there is a need for apprentices learning from good quality tradespeople, gaining experience and remaining in the trades to carry industries into the future. “For us at CHD training apprentices is really rewarding, and it’s great to pass on the skills that we have ourselves been taught by others.”
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