Top honours for Victoria at Australian Training Awards

Victoria claimed multiple wins – Outstanding Achievement in the VET and Skills Sector Award, gold awards for Industry Collaboration and Small Employer of the Year and silver for Large Training Provider of the Year – at the Australian Training Awards(opens in a new window) in Hobart last night.

Now in its 30th year, the Australian Training Awards rewards and recognises apprentices, trainees, vocational education and training (VET) students, teachers, practitioners, employers and training providers from across the country.

Passion, excellence and extraordinary achievements in vocational education and training were showcased and celebrated at the gala event attended by over 700 guests representing all corners of Australia’s VET sector.

Winners from Victoria joined recipients from across Australia, who shared inspiring stories of achievement, resilience and dedication.

The Outstanding Achievement in the VET and Skills Sector Award went to Mary Faraone, a respected leader in the vocational education and training sector, both nationally and internationally.

The Women in Apprenticeships Victoria Electrical (WAVE) Project won gold for the Industry Collaboration Awards for its work attracting women to electrical trades. The collaboration included the Victorian Electrical Trades Union, Holmesglen Institute, Trades Hall Council, Australian Women in Solar Energy and the Victorian Department of Education.

Beaufort and Skipton Health Service – a small rural hospital with acute and aged care facilities and community services – received a gold award in the Small Employer of the Year category in recognition of empowering staff to explore new study and career pathways.

Other award recipients from Victoria included:

• Large Training Provider of the Year (silver) – TAFE Gippsland
• Runner Up Apprentice of the Year – Leela Subramaniam, Flinders Hotel
• Runner Up VET Teacher or Trainer of the Year – Thomas Patterson, Outer Northern Trade Training Centre.

For more information, visit the winners at the Australian Training Awards(opens in a new window).

Quotes attributable to Minister for Skills and TAFE Gayle Tierney

'We thank our apprentices, teachers, training organisations and everyone involved in making Victoria’s vocational education and training sector the place where students want to be to get the best start in their career.'

'Congratulations to all the winners and finalists – because of your commitment to excellence, the future of Australian vocational training is inspiring, attractive and aligned to the industries that our students will work in.'

'Victoria’s nation-leading TAFE system is making sure more Victorians get the skills they need for the job they want, with more than 153,000 students saving more than $394 million in tuition fees since Free TAFE began in 2019.'