Yellowknife (Feb 16/05) - Several awards were given out on Feb. 10 at the Apprenticeship and Occupational Awards of Excellence Luncheon held at the legislature.

Education, Culture and Employment Minister Charles Dent said it's important to celebrate excellence in the workplace. Skilled labourers are needed in the NWT and good jobs are available, he said.

Mark Bond, right, receives the Karl Meyer Memorial Award from BHP Billiton Ekati president Wayne Isaacs. - Stephan Burnett/NNSL photo

The minister also gave credit to small employers for doing their part.

"Small employers have stepped up to the plate all throughout the North," he said.

Keith Parsonage received the top NWT Graduating Apprentice Award, provided by David Tucker, president of the Northwest Territories Construction Association. Parsonage could not attend the ceremony.

Greg Connelly received the Keith Houghton Memorial Award, presented by Chris Houghton of Ryfan Electric.

Connelly is a third-year apprentice electrician working with Nexum Systems.

Houghton explained the Keith Houghton Memorial Award is presented every year to an apprentice electrician registered with the highest graduating marks.

Keith Houghton, managing partner for Ryfan Electric and a leader in the business and sports community, died of a heart attack in May of last year.

The JSL Top Journeyperson Awards went to Tyson Stabel, working for Ray Pirker Plumbing, and Steven Walsh, who worked for Hay River's King Manufacturing.

"I won in my second and third year as well," said Stabel. "I won the award for the highest marks in fourth year journeyman for plumbing."

"It's pretty nice to be recognized. It's good that they do something for you," said Stabel.

Top millwright

Mark Bond won the Karl Meyer Memorial Award, presented by BHP Billiton's Ekati Mine president Wayne Isaacs, for the second year in a row.

Bond won the award for being the top journeyman millwright of any level at Ekati mine.

The award is named in honour of Karl Meyer, who was a millwright with BHP.

In February 1999, Meyer suffered a heart attack while playing basketball at the mine and the award was set up in his memory. This is the fifth year the mining award has been presented.