2009 Awards Ceremony - Winners

 

The Annual Awards Dinner for 2009 was held on Friday 18th September at The Vines Resort. 

Congratulations to the following winners:

APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR

Thomas Crook

 Thomas is a 3rd year Plumbing & Gasfitting apprentice with MPA Skills Group Training.  Thomas has quickly learned his trade skills and excels both on and off the job.  In August this year Thomas was selected to represent West Australia at the Today's Skills Tomorrow's Leaders program in Canberra where he met the Governor General.  Thomas was also a finalist in the Master Plumbers and Gasfitters Association Apprentice of the Year competition which was combined with the WorldSkills competition.  Thomas and his wife are also involved with a community and church funded organisation which runs a wormen's health and development program in Perth.

 

TRAINEE OF THE YEAR + INDIGENOUS

 TRAINEE OF THE YEAR

Sharnee Howell

 Sharnee is currently completing her Certificate III in Business with Group Training South West.  Sharnee enjoys working with people and was recently given the responsibility of training and supervising an intellectually challenged young man during his work experience.  She helped to build his skills and confidence enabling him to participate in a work environment productively.  Sharnee's employer and colleagues sing her praises as a great role model not only for her community but for all young people developing career pathways.

 

SCHOOL-BASED APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR

Johnson Taylor

 Johnson is currently completing his school based apprenticeship in Building and Construction with SMYL Community Services.  Johnson displays natural leadership qualities and earlier this year completed the Flying Boomerangs Indigenous Leadership Program in Darwin.  Last year Johnson participated in the AFL Indigenous Youth Football Team tour of South Africa.  He also excels in the academic field and is due to graduate Year 12 shortly.  Johnson is a keen trainee with a respectful manner and is well liked by his peers.

 

FIELD OFFICER OF THE YEAR

Chad Sloan

 Chad currently works as a Field Officer for Kimberley Group Training, managing hospitality and tourism apprentices with tour companies in the Kimberley region.  He successfully established a training program in conjunction with northern airport services and operators at the Kununurra airport, resulting in a number of apprentices progressing into full time employment at the airport.  Chad also liaises with the indigenous land corporates project at Home Valley Station, where his apprentices are quickly becoming television stars, appearing on ABC documentaries and many travel shows.

 

HOST EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR

METROPOLITAN

Pride Plumbing & Gas

 Bill, the owner/manager of Pride Plumbing & Gas has been in the plumbing industry for over 300 years and currently has 16 employees and 13 vans on the road.  Bill started off as a small family owned company and has employed apprentices since the outset.  Bill says that it is imperative that we, as business owners in this industry, continue to dedicate time, money and effort towards this apprentice training.  Bill is involved with many community based groups and currently holds the position of vice president of the Master Plumbers and Gasfitters Association.

 

HOST EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR

REGIONAL

TiWest

 TiWest have been dealing with Directions Group Training for over 7 years and currently employ 8 apprentices and a trainee across their regional sites and have hosted 18 Group Training apprentices to completion.  As well as their regular training, apprentices at TiWest have access to the company's full program of training that is available to all direct employees.  They are also highly committed to indigenous employment having hosted numerous aboriginal school based trainees and recruited many full time aboriginal employees.