Western Australians triumphed at the Australian Training Awards held in Canberra last night, taking out some of the top awards up for grabs.
The awards, held at the National Convention Centre, recognise our best apprentices, trainees, vocational education and training (VET) students, teachers, practitioners, employers and training providers from around Australia.
Broome's Albert Bevan was recognised as the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year and awarded a $5,000 cash prize. WA's only selective arts school, John Curtin College of the Arts, was awarded Gold in the School Pathways to VET Award category.
WA's 2024 Large Employer of the Year winner, WesTrac, was awarded Silver in the national category, with the State's 2024 Large Trainer of the Year winner, MTA WA Training Inc, recognised with Bronze at the ceremony.
Now in their 30th year, the awards are Australia's premier vocational training awards, and were attended by the winners, finalists, state and territory training Ministers and representatives from the vocational training sector.
WA had representatives in six individual categories including Apprentice of the Year, Trainee of the Year, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year, School-based Apprentice or Trainee of the Year, Vocational Student of the Year and Trainee of the Year.
The WA winners and finalists joined fellow achievers from all Australian states and territories to become ambassadors and role models for our great VET sector.
WA 2024 Australian Training Award winners:
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year Award (Winner) - Albert Bevan
Witnessing the mental health challenges facing Aboriginal people in his community, Albert realised he needed to develop more skills to address these challenges. He completed a Certificate IV in Mental Health at Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services while working at Broome Regional Aboriginal Medical Services. Albert now advocates for VET, citing his training experience as a remarkable and significant journey.
School Pathways to VET Award (Gold) - John Curtin College of the Arts (WA Department of Education)
As WA's only selective arts college and registered training organisation (RTO), John Curtin College of the Arts offers specialist arts-related VET programs for students in Years 10 to 12. By partnering with external RTOs, students can access more than 30 different VET programs from across industry sectors, ensuring they receive training that is current, relevant and aligned with industry demands.
Large Employer of the Year Award (Silver) - WesTrac
WesTrac has over 3,000 employees across WA, providing equipment solutions to the mining, construction, forestry, agriculture and transport industries. The purpose-built WesTrac Institute allows staff to complete nationally recognised training in automotive electrical technology, mobile plant technology and safety-related areas. WesTrac is highly regarded for producing exceptionally qualified tradespeople.
Large Training Provider of the Year Award (Bronze) - MTA WA Training Inc
The Motor Trade Association (MTA) of Western Australia is an RTO and group training organisation that prioritises innovation, adaptability, quality and inclusivity in its training programs and draws upon its membership base to ensure its delivery approach meets industry and employer needs.
For more information on the 2024 Australian Training Awards and the winners visit the Australian Training Awards website .
As stated by Skills and Training Minister Andrew Giles:
"It is fantastic to get the chance to come together and celebrate the students, trainees, apprentices, teachers, trainers, providers, employers and advocates that make up our tertiary education system.
"The Australian Training Awards are about recognising the dedication and achievements of people in the VET sector and how VET plays a future-shifting role for so many individuals and the communities they live and work in.
"The Albanese Labor Government is committed to VET, including through our contribution of $12.6 billion over five years to the National Skills Agreement and 508,000 national enrolments for Fee-Free TAFE, including 63,400 in Western Australia, in the first 18 months.
"Looking at the finalists this year, it is clear that VET touches every corner of this country, with representatives from metro, regional and rural communities from all states and territories.
"Congratulations to the winners, runners-up and finalists."
As stated by WA Training and Workforce Development Minister Simone McGurk:
"2024 has been a fantastic year for our State's vocational education and training sector, with huge numbers of Western Australians taking up fee-free and low fee training opportunities.
"Vocational training gives people crucial workplace skills that enable them to transform their lives in so many ways.
"Our 2024 Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of Year, Albert Bevan, is testament to the power of vocational training.
"Albert trained locally in Broome, with 2024 WA Small Training Provider of the Year, Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services.
"Albert is a fantastic ambassador for Australia's vocational education and training sector and I'm excited to watch him inspire others on the national stage during 2025 and beyond.
"I'm also particularly proud to hear that WA's John Curtin College of the Arts has received national recognition for their work on vocational training."
