Mase’s achievement celebrated

HER achievement was something to celebrate together as a team.
Trupla Lihirian Meri Berthina Mase who is PNG’s 2017 Apprentice of the Year, graced an evening dinner on Wednesday, Jan 10, 2018 at Lihir when acknowledging and praising her trainers, colleagues and the Newcrest Lihir management for her achievement.
In her speech, she said her success was possible because of the support, leadership, training and mentoring she received in her four years as an apprentice under Newcrest’s apprenticeship programme.
Mase, 28, from Masahet, Lihir in New Ireland dropped out in Grade 10, but that did not stop her from soaring high. She is an apprentice in the metal fabrication and welding trade on Lihir.
Mase represented Newcrest in November 2017, at the National Apprenticeship and Trade Testing Candidate of the Year Award.
It is a core programme of the National Apprenticeship and Trade Testing Board (NATTB) held every year. She collected the main 2017 Apprentice of the Year Award, the top Theory Award and the Best Presenter Award.
She participated with 16 apprentices from other companies.
Mase’s project was called ‘Lobster Back Bend,’ which she presented in Port Moresby in front of a panel of five judges.
“I thank God for always lighting my way through my studies and training. I thank Newcrest for its excellent apprenticeship training programme which is working well in up skilling local Lihirians. The skills and knowledge I have gained through this programme are highly valuable for my career development,” she said.
Mase extended her deepest thanks to Lihir’s mobile fleet maintenance manager, Jodie Kuskopf, training maintenance coordinator, Nathan Tukuafu, fixed plant maintenance manager, Kevin Fish and the plant maintenance fabrication shop team for their support in grooming her as a tradeswoman.
She thanked her uncle Pius Kiapseni, who is an operator with Lihir Mine operations, and other family members who joined the celebration at the Lihir Sports and Social Club.
Mase also acknowledged the efforts her family had put in the last four years in encouraging her to strive for the best.
“I also thank my fellow apprentice colleagues for the skills we have helped each other with while training together. Do not give up, commit yourself to achieving your goals. I hope my achievement inspires other local female Lihirians to take up challenging roles in male-dominated fields.”
Mase made a special mention of mobile maintenance trainer, Nason Buka, saying he had encouraged her and other apprentices to work hard and be their best when they first started their apprenticeship.
“He told us to prove that we were not failures. Thank you Mr Buka, you are a great man! I made it through because people like you believed in me.”
When congratulating Mase, Fish said her achievement was not only for Newcrest, but for Lihir and Papua New Guinea.
“Berthina, you have made us proud, well done,”
Fish told the team that he started his career as a tradesman and later pursued a career in engineering.
“The possibilities are there for you, just work towards achieving them.”