New Zealand Certified Builders (NZCB) Southland regional association president Paul Young said the usually annual competition was a chance for apprentices to get a taste of running a project on their own, early in their careers. It was a chance for the future generation of tradies to learn to read plans and gain insight into coordinating a project, he said. This year, competitors were asked to build a picnic table that met minimum safety standards, within a specified time frame; before a panel of judges assessed the finished products based on technical skill and technique, the quality of workmanship, precision, and the apprentice’s ability to work to a detailed plan.