Caitlin McDonald, 19, took home the building and construction industry training organisation’s (BCITO) Ernie Jelinek Cup at the Master Joiners Excellence Awards recently.
The prize, awarded in Queenstown last month, recognises her as one of the top apprentice joiners in the country.
"For me to get an award like this . . . it shows everyone that women are just as capable to do anything and achieve anything as men are," Ms McDonald said.
She won her first award, the Otago-Southland Master Joiners award for top joinery apprentice in cabinetry, in 2025.
Ms McDonald started a four-year apprenticeship at Hokonui Kitchens and Joinery in Gore when she left high school at the age of 16.
Since then, she estimated she had worked on over 100 projects at the Huron St business, which included kitchens, vanities, wardrobes, windows, doors and stairs.
"You have so much joinery in your home and you don’t even realise it," she said.
Often she was on the tools for over 10 hours a day.
Joinery was not a well-known trade, but women were suited to the job, Ms McDonald said.
"We even have a bit more precision to detail."
From start to finish, each of her projects had at least 10 steps.
Most other joinery outfits used machines that sped up the process, but her employer did it the old-fashioned way, Ms McDonald said.
"It makes you use your head a bit more, doing it by hand."
Hokonui Kitchens and Joinery is owned by Robert Hogg and Robert Bulling.
Ms McDonald, who would wrap up her apprenticeship with the business in about six months, was "ace" at her craft, Mr Bulling said.
"She’s brilliant . . . she just loves the job," he said.
Ms McDonald eventually hopes to work overseas as a joiner.
