Wanaka’s Kendall Hawes took out the second place spot and Kiaran McMurray came in third.
The competition tests apprentices’ carpentry skills under pressure and is held in partnership with the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO).
This year, apprentices were given eight hours to construct a planter box, which will be donated to their community.
Mr Bruce, 28, said the Apprentice Challenge, "was just that, a challenge".
"It was good fun, with some good talented people there ...
"The event was long, but it was really nice to meet different people in the industry and have a different type of challenge, away from building houses every day."
The finished planter boxes were assessed for workmanship, measuring, cutting, assembly, and attention to detail.
Judges also evaluated each apprentice’s ability to follow a detailed plan and apply safe working techniques.
Apprenticed to Hayes Built, Mr Bruce earned a $1,000 Makita and Mitre 10 Trade prize pack.
He will be flown to Hamilton in June to represent Central Otago at the national final.
There, he will compete against 18 other regional winners for the prestigious Ken Read Memorial Trophy and a $10,000 prize pack.
NZ Certified Builders (NZCB) chief executive Malcolm Fleming said the challenge was designed to test whether apprentices were ready for the demands of the trade.
BCITO director Greg Durkin was proud to see that over 75% of the contestants this year were BCITO apprentices.
Family, friends and members of the public, attended the event to show their support for the Central Otago apprentices.
