NECA SA 2009 Excellence and Apprenticeship Awards

Extreme heat, cramped work spaces, bush flies, impossible deadlines, improbable design challenges and more - all in a day’s work for eight of South Australia’s best electrical and communications contractors and three apprentices. Their outstanding achievements were celebrated at the South Australian NECA Excellence Awards on 21 August, where winners demonstrated their ability to provide innovative solutions to major challenges and successfully and efficiently complete their project contracts.

Guest speaker, the independent Senator for South Australia Nick Xenophon spoke about the new carbon emission trading scheme, the plight of South Australia’s water supply and the highly controversial delay in the introduction of the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Legislation Bill 2009.

Larry Moore, NECA SA Chief Executive Officer, said: “What we’re seeing year-on-year is a constant raising of the bar by our members. This year is no exception. There is innovation, quality workmanship, health and safety achievements and excellent examples of how good communication and project management add up to a job well done.”

The Excellence Award Winners were:

• Small Contracting Business: Power & Drive Solutions for BHP Bore Field power generation upgrade.
• Environment and Energy Efficiency: Boffa & Russo Electrical Contractors for SA Water Office accommodation.
• Occupational Health and Safety: Boffa & Russo Electrical Contractors for OH&S management system.
• Industrial: O’Donnell Griffin for OZ Minerals Prominent Hill mine site, electrical instrumentation package 1.
• Voice/Data small (< $500,000): MIMP Connecting Solutions for Forestry SA microwave network.
• Voice/Data large (> $500,000): Nilsen (SA) for Port River Expressway Stages 2 & 3.
• Commercial medium ($500,000 to $2 million): Electric Solutions for Collins Transport, Adelaide.
• Commercial large (> $2 million): Boffa & Russo Electrical Contractors for SA Water office accommodation.

Certificates of Commendation were awarded to Boffa & Russo Electrical Contractors and Nilsen (SA) in the Industrial category and Niramar and Nilsen (SA) in the Commercial large category.

The SA Apprentice Awards were also presented, showcasing the next generation of electrotechnology workers and celebrating their importance to the future vitality and quality of the profession.

The Apprentice Award winners were:

• Electrical – Commercial/Domestic: Sean Wheeler from WM Electrical
• Electrical – Industrial: Laurence Bray from Peer Veet (Host: Rondent Automation Services)
• Communications: Amanda Hewison from Peer Veet (Host: Diverse Data Communications)

Moore stated: “These young people are a credit to themselves, their companies and their training organisations. It makes me immensely proud to see the high standard of work they are producing and gives me great optimism for the future of our industry.”

State winners are eligible for the National Awards in Melbourne on 26 November.