- Tropical North Queensland's top apprentice, trainee, VET teacher and employers have been announced at the 2024 Queensland Training Awards regional final.
- The awards include the Harry Hauenschild Apprentice of the Year, the Bob Marshman Trainee of the Year and the VET Teacher of the Year.
- The 11 regional winners will progress to the state final in September.
The 63rd Queensland Training Awards regional finals showcased the great work in vocational education and training across the state, with categories for apprentices, trainees, vocational students, teachers and trainers, community training projects and employers.
With 750 statewide nominations this year, the selected regional finalists represent the excellence, hard work, and dedication evident in Queensland's high-performing training system.
Terrence Casey-Douglas was awarded the Harry Hauenschild Apprentice of the Year. He moved from Normanton to Cairns to take up his landscape construction apprenticeship with Outdoor Solutions Queensland, which was also a finalist in the Small Employer of the Year category.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year, Rhonda Woolla, is from Aurukun and completed her Certificate IV in Pre-Hospital Emergency Medical Response while working with Rio Tinto Weipa.
Quicksilver Group operates from Cairns and Port Douglas and was named the region's Large Employer of the Year, for supporting staff training in a variety of fields including diving, engineering, accounting and management to support their Great Barrier Reef cruise operations.
The local winners were announced at the regional Queensland Training Awards event at the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort Port Douglas over the weekend.
As stated by Member for Cairns and Minister for Tourism and Sport Michael Healy MP:
"I am pleased to recognise all the high achievers from across Far North Queensland in this year's Queensland Training Awards.
"A massive congratulations to Apprentice of the Year, Terrence Casey-Douglas who relocated to Cairns in order to complete his landscape construction apprenticeship, which outlines the dedication of Queensland's apprentices.
"I'd like to congratulate Quicksilver Group on their achievement as the Far North Queensland Large Employer of the Year. Their consistency in supporting staff across a variety of fields is admirable."
As stated by Member for Barron River, Craig Crawford MP:
"It's great to have Georgia Simpson from Kuranda as Bob Marshman Trainee of the Year. She moved from South Australia to take up a position with Rainforestation and study a Certificate III in Wildlife and Exhibited Animal Care at this important tourist attraction.
"I hope Vocational Student of the Year Holly Sullivan, will inspire more women to pursue a trade career. Holly added a Certificate III in Carpentry to the building and landscaping qualifications she already holds, which means she can take on more jobs with her employer, Sullivan Building and Renovations.
As stated by Member for Mulgrave, Curtis Pitt MP:
"Our Small Employer of the Year, Gunggandji-Mandingalbay Yidinji Peoples Prescribed Body Corporate Aboriginal Corporation, operates in our own backyard, in Yarrabah.
"Their business has grown from one part-time employee in 2016 to 15 workers now and delivers Indigenous ranger training and other support to help the community grow its skilled workforce and care for country.
"Mount Peter Early Learning is the Medium Employer of the Year for their training pathways for staff and ongoing professional development to ensure children and families receive the best care.
"I wish our winners from Tropical North Queensland all the best at the Queensland Training Awards state final in September."
As stated by Member for Cook, Cynthia Lui MP:
"The new Miles Labor Government is doing what matters for Far North Queenslanders. Education and training opportunities support jobs and economic development, which is especially important in regional and remote communities.
"I would like to congratulate our both our Weipa award-winners - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year, Rhonda Woolla, whose hard work and dedication is amazing. Rhonda completed her Certificate IV in Pre-Hospital Emergency Medical Response while working in Weipa at Rio Tinto. And a big congratulations to Sean Slack, who earned a certificate II in Engineering and won the School-based Apprentice or Trainee of the year award.
"From Free TAFE to Free Tools for First Years, and now Free Construction Apprenticeships, the Miles Government is helping more people to discover highly skilled careers that come from construction apprenticeships."
As stated by Minister for Training and Skills Development Lance McCallum:
"The Queensland Training Awards provide an ideal platform to highlight the top performers in training and demonstrate the transformative power of skills.
"The Miles Labor Government is backing more locals like them by funding one million training places for Queenslanders, easing cost-of-living pressures for those who want to train, upskill, reskill, and pursue careers in the state's priority industries.
"This strategy is not just real cost of living relief now, but a chance at a better life, with better pay and a better job, helping grow our economy right across the state.
"Labor's Free TAFE has changed lives–people who were facing homelessness, mothers returning to work, and young people who haven't finished high school–have completed free TAFE courses and come out with good jobs.
"There's no clearer difference between Labor and the LNP who will jack up course fees and make young Queenslanders pay for their apprenticeships–they'll have to, because they don't back the coal royalties that pay for it."
Full list of Tropical North Queensland winners:
Individual award categories
Harry Hauenschild Apprentice of the Year — Terrence Casey-Douglas, Certificate III in Landscape Construction, Brinsmead
Bob Marshman Trainee of the Year — Georgia Simpson, Certificate III in Wildlife and Exhibited Animal Care, Kuranda
Vocational Student of the Year — Holly Sullivan, Certificate III in Carpentry, Kewarra Beach
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year — Rhonda Woolla, Certificate IV in Pre-Hospital Emergency Medical Response, Weipa
School-based Apprentice or Trainee of the Year — Sean Slack, Certificate II in Engineering, Weipa
Equity Student of the Year — Leah Garling, Certificate I in Workplace Skills, Manoora
VET Teacher or Trainer of the Year — Andrew Boothroyd, TAFE Queensland, Machans Beach
Organisation award categories
Community Training Initiative of the Year — Centacare FNQ, UpCyclinc program
Large Employer of the Year — Quicksilver Group, Cairns and Port Douglas
Medium Employer of the Year — Mount Peter Early Learning, Mount Peter
Small Employer of the Year — Gunggandji-Mandingalbay Yidinji Peoples Prescribed Body Corporate Aboriginal Corporation, Yarrabah
In the 2024-25 State Budget $370 million has been committed to training and skills to drive the Good people. Good jobs: Queensland Workforce Strategy 2022-2032 and the Good Jobs, Great Training: Queensland Skills Strategy 2024 – 2028.
To learn more about the Queensland Training Awards and see the full list of regional winners visit https://desbt.qld.gov.au/training/qta
Images of the winners can be found at https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/s5korflp796dqcv8oex6m/AMT89xTfSxfuJzinMpTbUDQ?rlkey=9wyo6e0tmloi3ocskxyyulrmy&dl=0
