All of them completed an "accelerated training programme" last week under an initiative created by Network Waitaki about four years ago to prepare people for their apprenticeship.
Network Waitaki contracting general manager Geoff Jones said he was really proud of the trainees’ achievements.
"I’m super, super proud of the guys, and the teams that have come before them over the last four years."
The training course takes about two to three years to complete and is offered in block courses at the Airedale Rd facility, Mr Jones said.
The programme had been developed to "mitigate an ageing demographic".
"Industry-wide, there’s a massive gap in the skilled workforce.
"Between the ’80s, ’90s, they just didn’t train any people and approximately 15% of the field resources will be nearing retirement over the next five years."
Trust chairwoman Doreen Cleave said Network Waitaki had an annual programme of renewing and replacing critical infrastructure with over $160million of investment planned in the next 10 years.
Mr Jones said the sector had experienced a "big resource gap" and had been recruiting internationally.
"They will be qualified in their own right, from say the Philippines or Fiji and other places.
"But they still have to get New Zealand certification."
The Network Waitaki training facility is the only one in the South Island, bringing many people to the area and benefiting the local economy.
The Weston site continued to be developed and is set to grow.
This included the major training organisation for line mechanics and cable joiners, MITA (Mentoring, Investigation, Training and Assessing).
MITA Training team leader Paul Allen said they now wanted to use the Weston training space for much of the lower South Island, "as it’s a really fit for purpose facility".
Course modules were structured every six months for trainees to achieve a qualification that "can take them anywhere".
Mr Allen said a broad range of people were interested in the sector, including mature individuals wanting to retrain.
"I’ve had trainees coming in their 40s and 50s.
"It’s one of those industries, once people find it, it’s hard to get out of, if you really enjoy it."
