Entries are now open for the Competenz Most Valuable Coach (MVC) award — a brand-new nationwide search to honour the mentors, trainers, and workplace legends who go the extra mile for apprentices and trainees.

Every skilled trainee or apprentice has had someone teaching, backing, or inspiring them — the coach who has quietly shaped their success in the engineering sector.

“These are the people who inspire, teach, and back our learners every day,” says Toni Christie, General Manager, Employer and Learner Services at industry training organisation Competenz.

“The Most Valuable Coach award shines a spotlight on those mentors who help build not just careers, but New Zealand’s skilled industries. We believe these good sorts deserve recognition and reward!”

Open to Competenz 7,000 apprentices and trainees, the nomination process is straightforward: share a short story about how a coach has supported or motivated your journey, and include a photo or video to bring the memory to life.

Finalists will be chosen by a judging panel made up of Competenz leaders, training advisors and account managers, bringing frontline industry insight from working daily with learners and employers across the country. The winner will be announced on 10 December.

Top nominations will be showcased nationwide, spot prizes will be awarded throughout the campaign, and the overall winner will take home a trophy, BBQ and meat pack for an epic workplace BBQ, and official MVC merchandise for extra bragging rights at smoko. They’ll also feature in a Competenz news story and have their name in lights on a billboard promoting their organisation and their MVC status.

Competenz invites all its apprentices and trainees to draft their workplace legend into the MVC hall of fame — nominate your MVC today at https://competenz.org.nz/mvc before entries close on 30 November.