Nominations are open for the

Waipukurau Rotary Young Employee of the Year 2026

Do you employ Central Hawke’s Bays’ Young Employee of the Year?

Nominations close

5pm Wednesday 30 September

In 1994 the Waipukurau Rotary Club established the Young Employee of the Year Awards. This year the Rotary Club of Waipukurau are seeking nominations from employers from around the district to nominate their best and brightest young employee.

This award aims to recognise excellence, effort, dedication and making a difference. The award will recognise young people who are excelling and making a significant contribution to their place of work.

Nominations will be accepted for full time employees between 18 - 26 years old and should display the following attributes: · A bubbly personality that is friendly and confident with diverse groups of people · A strong work ethic with a keen aptitude to learn · A desire to succeed and build a personal reputation · The drive to go the extra mile for both the employer and the customer · The courage to give things a go · Energy to fit well into a team · Obvious leadership skills · Well set goals for the future for both their vocation and the personal life.

The Overall winner of the Youth Employee of the Year receives a scholarship for an Outward Bound 8-day Discovery course.
The Aspiring Young Employee of the Year receives a $1,000 scholarship for the Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) development programme.
Two Highly Commended receive a $1,000 scholarship for the Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) development programme.

The Award will be presented as part of our annual Mayors Taskforce for Jobs Trades Graduation event held at the Waipawa Municipal Theatre, on Thursday 5 November, 6pm.

Application form link is here

Nominations are open for the

Youth Friendly Employer of the Year 2026

Do you have a Youth Friendly Employer?

Nominations close

5pm Wednesday 30 September

Would you like to nominate them for the Youth Friendly Employer of the Year Award?

You must be under 25 years of age and have been working for the business for at least 6 months in order to nominate your employer.

The Youth Friendly Employer Award is proudly supported by the Waipukurau Rotary Club and Jobs in Central Hawke's Bay in an effort to celebrate local businesses who are creating great spaces and opportunities for our young people to work.

The successful winner will feature in a local article and win a workplace morning tea shout.

The Award will be presented as part of our annual Mayors Taskforce for Jobs Trades Graduation and Waipukurau Rotary Young Employee of the Year event held at the Waipawa Municipal Theatre, on Thursday 5 November, 6pm.

Application form link is here

Past Winners

The 2026 winner was Josiah Chesswas, runners-up were Tayla Ellmers and Daejon Halton. Aspiring Young Employee was Finn Horvath.

2025 Winners - Young Employee

Josiah Chesswas

"I'm truly honored to receive the Rotary Young Employee of the Year award. This is an incredible recognition of the journey I've been through (and will continue to go through) with BP. I started working here casually on weekends at 15, and now I'm proud to be managing sites and growing towards larger roles like corporate management. I'm also thrilled to be given the opportunity to be attending such an incredible course as the Outward Bound course and the opportunity for further personal growth it will present. A huge thank you to my bosses up in our head office who grow and support me to lead learn and laugh within my role here at BP aswell as my amazing team at the store for their continuous support and hard work."

Nominated by: Adele McKirdy of BP2Go (Jaro Group)

"Among his special attributes are a genuine enthusiasm for the job, a strong sense of commitment, and a high degree of honesty and confidence."

2025 Youth Friendly Employer

Rubylicious Cakes

“Ruby is the best boss,I’m not being biased, she really is,” said Acacia, in their joint nomination. “She can always put a smile on your dial. In this day and age, young people need someone like Ruby in their lives, she makes life just that little bit better.”

2024 Winners

Ella Tweedie

"Being named the Young Employee of the Year 2024 was a proud milestone that deepened my connection to the local community. As part of the award, I was given the opportunity to attend Outward Bound — a truly formative experience. The physical and mental challenges pushed me well beyond my comfort zone, and the personal growth I’ve experienced continues to influence both my professional and personal life. I’m incredibly grateful to the Rotary Club and the Mayor’s Taskforce for Jobs for their support and commitment to empowering young people."

Nominated by: Robby Smith of Stevenson & Taylor Ltd.

"Ella has brought a fresh and enthusiastic perspective to our marketing and branding efforts. She is business savvy and understands our customer base well, she collaborates effectively with everyone, always bringing a positive and enjoyable atmosphere. Ella has shown interest in leadership here at SNT and I feel that is great to see in our younger generation. She is a genuine individual who truly cares about her work and has a promising future here at SNT."

Runners up were David Howard, Liam Johnson and Lisa Davey.

2023 Winners

Stevenson & Taylor Ltd.

“We aim to create a place where our young people want to continuously learn and develop. Clear, open and transparent communication is also vital, so we have an open-door policy where ideas are welcomed, concerns are addressed promptly, and everyone feels connected to the larger vision of the company. We also celebrate achievements, both big and small.”

Gagau (Nga) Robert Stanley

“The way I look at it, to create great leaders, you need a great leader to mentor you. I want to give back to my staff, as my leader trained me; I can give back to the young people we employ.”

Nominated by: Myles Hemara of Craigmore Horticulture, Springhill Orchard.

"Nga's contributions to our team are truly exceptional. His calm demeanour, positive attitude, motivational skills, and respect for others make him an invaluable asset. By driving productivity and fostering a supportive environment, Nga not only adds value to the business but also creates a positive and fulfilling work experience for all."

2022 Winner

2022 Young Employee of the Year was presented to Ari Henson who was nominated by Epic Ministries. Ari's passion is young people; "my job is already so rewarding, but to have my co-workers and Rotary members acknowledge me truly helped grow my self-confidence."

2021 Winner

The 2021 winner - Morgan Dysart from Pleroma in Otane. She was selected from 10 nominations.

Highly commended was Cleavelin Cook (CHB District Council), Josh Renall (Nola Cafe), Ben Swinburne (CHB District Council) and Kiera Oliver (HB District Health Board).

2020 Winner

2020 Young Employee of the Year presentation was made to Naomi Hunt at her workplace, Kanuka Orchard. Naomi is a top example of a young person in CHB who is an achiever. She received a monetary prize towards her personal training. It was such a great day at the presentation for Naomi in front of her co-workers and family.