TAFE Queensland students and partnership recognised at Queensland Training Awards

TAFE Queensland Chief Executive Officer Mary Campbell said the awards recognise significant achievements in vocational education and training, and the organisation’s capability and commitment to enable Queenslanders to gain the skills they need to do extraordinary things.

“We extend our congratulations to these students and our partner Rheinmetall, and all of the award winners, who demonstrate the power of vocational educating, training, and skills,” Mrs Campbell said.

“Community development graduate Ngaire Trigg knows firsthand how quality vocational education and training can positively change someone's life, having come full circle from battling post natal depression to winning her award.

“And recently qualified barber Jabin Giblett works with disadvantaged youth, sharing with other young people how barbering changed his path and his life, and advocates for training to give barbers the skills to have conversations with clients, look for warning signs and recommend the right service providers to help with suicide prevention.”

A range of TAFE Queensland staff, students and apprentices were recognised as finalists in other categories including Sue Edwards, Cameron Boscacci, Obadiah Geia, Lachlan Miners, Jabin Giblett, Alex Lees, Liamon Mudd, Elisabeth Matter, Jack Mailmain, and Maxine Warrell.

“We are in the privileged position of being able to help Queenslanders to change their lives and achieve their career aspirations – which has continued even during the pandemic,” Mrs Campbell continued.

“While COVID-19 has provided unique challenges this year, it has also made us all think differently about our operations and find new, more agile ways of working and delivering training. But above all, the pandemic has proven the importance of VET and highlighted the vital role it plays within industries and communities in Australia,” she said.

A variety of other significant changes and challenges have influenced TAFE Queensland since its humble beginnings in 1882, but in 2020 the organisation proudly celebrated its 138 year history of serving Queensland’s communities.

“Now, more than ever, TAFE Queensland is committed to delivering high quality, practical, hands on, industry-relevant training that is responsive to industry needs and prepares our graduates for the jobs of the future,” Mrs Campbell said.

“There is no doubt vocational education and training has played a critical role in building Australia's workforce over many decades, and it will continue to do so for decades to come as we recover from COVID-19.

“To help our state continue to move on from the pandemic, organisations will need skilled and job-ready workforces, and workers with the right training and skills will play an important role over the coming months and years.

“Our highly experienced workforce collaborate closely with industry, and will continue to do so, to shape our training products and our delivery modes to ensure our training meets current and future employment demands; we want to ensure we have job-ready graduates who can assist employers to innovate and grow their businesses through this challenging time and long into the future,” she said.

The Queensland Training Awards are the peak, state awards for the vocational education and training (VET) sector, recognising individuals, businesses and registered training organisations for their contribution to skilling Queenslanders.