Australian Training Awards

The Australian Training Awards are the peak, national awards for vocational education and training, and are designed to recognise innovation and excellence in the training sector. The awards are the culmination of the state and territory awards, with winners from each state and territory competing in the national finals.

Victorians win at Australian Training Awards

Victorians took out three categories of the Australian Training Awards last Friday night in Brisbane including Colin Wilson’s win for Australian Apprentice of the Year.

The Victorian winners are:

• Colin Wilson, the Australian Apprentice of the Year Award
• SPC ARDMONA in collaboration with the AMWU and the National Food Institute, the Industry Collaboration Award
• Jessica Pendlebury, the Australian School-based Apprentice of the Year

Amanda Divola was also the runner-up for the Australian Apprentice (Trainee) of the Year.

The winners of Australian Training Awards have been recognised for their excellence in vocational education and training through receiving Victorian Training Awards earlier this year. All winners at the Australian Training Awards receive $5,000. Runners-up receive $2,500.

Aspiring chef Colin Wilson (pictured) has already worked with culinary masters Gordon Ramsay and Neil Perry and, after winning a coveted prize, travelled to France to work with Michelin star chef Thierry Marx. Currently an apprentice with award-winning Eleanor’s Restaurant and Sweetwater Café at the Yarra Valley’s Chateau Yering, Colin has won a number of awards for his work including the 2010 AUSTAFE Culinary Challenge (Best Second-Year Apprentice, Best Overall Apprentice in Australia). Colin says he wakes up every day excited to go to work and cook beautiful food and learn something new and challenging. His future goal is to own and run his own restaurant.

Usually on opposing sides of the bargaining table, SPC Ardmona and the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union have collaborated to develop an induction-to-leadership training program for more than 2000 workers in the Goulburn Valley. All employees have had the opportunity to undertake Certificate I through to Certificate III courses, which have lead to nationally recognised qualifications in the areas of food processing and transport competencies.

With the cooperation of GOTAFE and her employer, Northern Veterinary Group, Jessica Pendlebury (pictured) became the TAFE’s first student to undertake a Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing as an Australian School-based Apprentice. Working hard to both complete her VCE and be a qualified Veterinary Nurse by the end of 2012, Jessica is enjoying the opportunity to work in a nursing environment while completing her studies.

In 2010, while still completing a Certificate III in Retail at Bendigo TAFE, Amanda Divola realised her goal of opening her own business, Sweets and Treats Café in Wedderburn. One year later, her training is complete and her business is booming. Initially worried that study would be too difficult for her, Amanda thrived in the course and says it has given her self-confidence, independence and a great deal of pride. Training has not only enabled Amanda to grow and improve her business, it has given her the ability to train four employees.

The Australian Training Awards are the peak national awards for the vocational education and training (VET) sector recognising and rewarding organisations and individuals for their outstanding contribution to skilling Australia.

Need more information?

To find out more information about the awards, visit the Australian Training Awards website.