Kendra Butler, an electrical apprentice at Mighty River Power, has won the Electricity Supply Industry Training Organisation (ESITO) Generation Trainee of the Year award for excellence in vocational training.
The 22-year-old, who attended Hamilton’s Fraser High School, is working towards the National Certificate in Electrical Engineering and Electrical Supply Levels 3 and 4. She is one of only three women at her level in Mighty River Power’s apprenticeship programme and is on track to become a registered electrician seven months early.
ESITO’s Chief Executive Dr Tim Densem said Kendra was a great role model who was always ready to help other trainees to set and achieve their study goals.
“Kendra really stands out. She has applied herself academically and the judges really liked that she is respected by her fellow trainees and is seen as a study guru,” Dr Densem said.
Ms Butler joined Mighty River Power in 2007. In 2008, she joined the electrical and instrumentation team at the company’s Southdown Co-Generation Facility in South Auckland where she has carried out electrical wiring, fault-finding of control and instrumentation systems, and testing. In December she will begin working for the projects team in Mighty River Power’s Hamilton office.
“I really enjoyed electronics at school and decided on a career in the electricity supply industry after doing a taster course at Wintec, Ms Butler said.
“As part of the taster course, we went on four industry placements. This gave me an opportunity to look at different aspects of the industry. I found generation the most interesting with a lot of variety in the work, which I really like.”
Ms Butler, who received her award at a gala event held at Mystery Creek Events Centre in October, said the award was good recognition of all the hard work she had put in to her training.
In the future she hopes to take her career to the next level by studying towards a Bachelor of Engineering.
Image above: Kendra Butler at the Karapiro Hydro Station
ENDS
For more information, please contact:
Mark Hanson
Acting Communications Manager Mighty River Power
Tel: 09 308 8215