Applications are now open for this year's WA Training Awards, which recognise the outstanding achievements of apprentices, trainees, employers and training organisations.
Now in its 27th year, the Awards provide an opportunity for the training sector to showcase excellence, reward best practice and put WA's best VET achievers in the spotlight.
Education and Training Minister Sue Ellery is encouraging eligible individuals and organisations to apply, with applications closing Friday, April 23.
Winners will be announced at a presentation ceremony in September.
After a slightly revised program in 2020, this year all award categories are back, with eight individual and four organisational categories:
Individual categories:
- WA Apprentice of the Year
- WA Trainee of the Year
- WA Vocational Student of the Year
- WA Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year
- WA School-based Apprentice of the Year
- WA Trainer of the Year
- WA Cultural Diversity Training Award
- WA International Student of the Year
Organisational categories:
- WA Medium Employer of the Year
- WA Large Employer of the Year
- WA Small Training Provider of the Year
- WA Large Training Provider of the Year
As well as the recognition these respected Awards bring, individual winners will receive $3,000 which they may use to further their training or kick-start their career, while organisation winners will be recognised as industry leaders.
Winners of the WA awards may go on to represent WA at the Australian Training Awards in November, just like last year's Trainee of the Year Cheyne Pearce and Vocational Student of the Year Trent Caldwell.
Both Cheyne and Trent were named as runner-up in their respective categories at the peak national awards, after securing jobs they were passionate about following successful stints at North Metropolitan TAFE.
Cheyne completed a Certificate IV in Horticulture in order to fulfil his passion to make a positive difference to the environment. His hard work and resolve eventually paid off with the offer of a traineeship at Kings Park and Botanic Gardens, and has since secured full time employment as a local government park operator.
Trent wanted to blend the skills learnt from his background in community services, advertising and art, embarking on a journey to land his long-held ambition of a role in marketing. After successfully completing a Diploma of Marketing and Communication he reached his goal, and is now employed as marketing co-ordinator for an assistive technology company.
Cheyne and Trent are also WA Training Awards Ambassadors and encourage people of all ages to celebrate their success by applying for the Awards.
For more information about the WA Training Awards and to apply, visit WA Training Awards at https://www.dtwd.wa.gov.au/watrainingawards
As stated by Education and Training Minister Sue Ellery:
"The WA Training Awards are the State's premier training award program, showcasing excellence and putting our best talent in the spotlight.
"With vocational education and training playing a vital role in the rebuilding of Western Australia's economy, there is no better time to recognise our best students.
"Western Australia's training system is one of the best in the world and success stories such as last year's Trainee of the Year Cheyne Pearce and Vocational Student of the Year Trent Caldwell highlight that a vocational training pathway leads directly to jobs."
