Austin Asche Apprentice of the Year

Winner: Rory Milner, Certificate III in Carpentry

Employer: Sunbuild

Rory Milner worked as an engineer for four years before deciding on a career that would change his world.

“Undertaking and completing my carpentry apprenticeship has changed my life for the better, as it has definitely changed my life's trajectory,” Rory said.

Once enrolled in his apprenticeship, Rory didn’t let anything get in the way of him reaching his goal. Rory accelerated his learning and finished his apprenticeship with one year to spare. He went on to win the Master Builders Apprentice of the Year award in 2018 for both the Northern Territory (NT) and Australia.

“I love working in a hands‑on team every day, especially when working in construction as it feels like you get to work with your mates every day, have a laugh and get to bond over shared experiences. I chose my course as I was interested in using my engineering background and knowledge in a more hands-on field.”

Runner up: Callum DiFrancesco