Kaituna Sawmill head rig and resaw operator Izaac Filipov won a national forestry industry training award. Filipov works at Nelson Forest’s Kaituna Sawmill near Blenheim in New Zealand. Source: The Marlborough Express
Filipov is the Forest Industry Training and Education Council’s modern apprentice of the year in the wood manufacturing category.
Kaituna Sawmill general manager Matt Bond said Filipov had done “fantastically well”.
“It’s amazing if you think where he was five years ago. He was in a hoodie, wouldn’t look you in the eye. For this, he bought himself a suit and tie, he stood up and spoke to 300 people at a black-tie event . . . It’s a great story.”
At the award dinner, the Forestry Industry Training and Education Council’s Tom Snodgrass said Kaituna Sawmill had a good track record for spotting talent.
“Izaac was quickly seen to have an inquiring mind and an aptitude that only needed direction.”
Mr Snodgrass said Filipov had worked at the Kaituna Mill for five years, where he starts at 5.30am each day to ensure the mill is ready to function when the rest of the staff arrives at 6am.
Filipov said that working at the sawmill and doing an apprenticeship had given him direction after not doing well at school. He was the first person to complete the newly introduced apprenticeship course. He is now helping two other apprentices do the course.
Kaituna Mill’s head saw doctor, Jamie Howieson, was also a finalist for the awards in the trainee of the year in the wood manufacturing category.
