Lutheran carpenter named top apprentice

Lutheran Ryan Grieger has been named Australia’s top apprentice.

A member of the Zion congregation at Swan Reach on the Murray River in South Australia, Ryan last month took out a gold medal in the carpentry category at the WorldSkills Australia National Competition in Melbourne. He also earned the Tjerk Dusseldorp Award for Best in Nation, across more than 50 apprenticeship categories at the competition, ranging from auto electrics, to plumbing, floristry, web design, butchery and hairdressing.

The overall win qualifies Ryan, 21, to represent Australia at the WorldSkills International Competition in Abu Dhabi next year. Trained at TAFE SA in Adelaide, Ryan is completing his apprenticeship with building firm BJ and VL Duldig in the northern Adelaide Hills.