Osborn Brothers Building and Construction Ltd apprentice Anna Winskill-Moore was named joint winner of the student/apprentice excellence award at the National Association of Women in Construction excellence awards in Auckland last week.
"It was a big surprise. I was surrounded by so many inspiring women,'' she said.
"As they were giving out and announcing the awards they were telling you a bit about [them].''
The win encouraged her to keep on working hard and doing the best that she could, she said.
She was now enrolled in the New Zealand certificate in carpentry at Otago Polytechnic as part of her apprenticeship, after completing the New Zealand certificate in construction trade skills.
Ms Winskill-Moore said she would tell other women thinking about entering the construction industry to be prepared for the mental and physical challenges it brought, and have a goal or purpose to work towards and be "persistent and courageous but also patient''.
"Possibly the most important thing [is to] keep a sense of humour.''
Ms Winskill-Moore won the award jointly with Danielle Platt, a Christchurch quantity surveyor.
Fellow apprentice Kirsty Currie was also named a finalist in the student/apprentice excellence section.
Ms Currie, who completed the New Zealand certificate in carpentry (level 4) at the polytechnic, works for Beelee Homes Ltd, in Dunedin.