2022 Victorian Training Award winners

Chhunly Taing

• Holmesglen Institute
• Certificate III in Civil Construction

As a woman working in a male-dominated industry, Chhunly Taing has faced plenty of challenges, but they never stopped her pursuing a career in the construction industry. 

When Chhunly started the Holmesglen RII30920 Certificate III in Civil Construction, she didn’t know what a drill was, and she felt intimidated by the men onsite. But her confidence grew and she gained the respect of the men she works with, many of whom she now leads in her role as a Leading Hand on the Metro Tunnel project. 

Chhunly is making a real contribution to changing the way men view women in construction. Many of her male colleagues ask her to speak to their daughters about working in the construction industry.

In 2022, Chhunly was named Holmesglen’s George Kline Apprentice of the Year. She has the ‘tickets’ she needs to work in construction and a dream to work in a leadership position.

Finalists

• Gerritt Maiai - The Gordon Institute of TAFE, Certificate III in Cabinet Making
• Madison Giordano - Kangan Institute, Certificate III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Franchesca Morrell

• Bendigo Health
• Certificate III in Dental Assisting

Franchesca knows that visiting a dentist can be a fearful experience and it’s her goal to make the experience pleasant for her patients. She grew up in the Philippines and migrated to Australia, settling in NSW in 2017. Initially, she got her teeth into dentistry by working as a dental assistant. The dentist trained her on the job but there was no opportunity to do a formal course. 

The course cemented her aspiration to become an oral health therapist and enhanced her skills and confidence. There was also great satisfaction in knowing that her work was benefiting the community. 

All her hard work was honoured in 2022 when she was awarded Trainee of the Year at Bendigo TAFE. Since graduating she’s progressed to a new role as senior dental nurse at Bendigo Health and she’s excited about the opportunities to expand her career through the various initiatives across the region. 

Finalists

• Claire Bartlett - Chisholm Institute, Certificate III in Business
• Danica Taliloa - Murray Mallee Training Company, Certificate IV in Business Administration

Caitlin Cook

• South West TAFE
• Diploma of Nursing

Caitlin Cook was a young stay-at-home mum of five children and although she’d always wanted to be a nurse, she hadn't completed school and never believed she could achieve her dream. She joined the Young Parents VCAL program at South West TAFE and soon after applied for the Diploma of Nursing at South West TAFE.

Caitlin loved her time studying then tragedy struck; her partner passed away and she and her children were left homeless. Nevertheless, Caitlin was determined to see her course through and create a successful career and positive future.  

Her goal was to care for vulnerable people and the elderly. Now Caitlin works as an Endorsed Enrolled Nurse and after winning South West TAFE’s Vocational Student of the Year, she’s embarking on the Bachelor of Nursing/Midwifery at Deakin University. Caitlin said she changed so much that she hardly recognises the person who started the course two years ago.

Finalists

• Amanda Meehan - Holmesglen Institute, Diploma of Nursing
• Kai Bucktin - GOTAFE, Certificate III in Information, Digital Media & Technology, Certificate IV in Cyber Security

Jaynaya Miller

• Skillinvest Limited
• Certificate III in Business

Jaynaya enrolled in a Certificate III in Business that was designed specifically for Aboriginal students. Through her training provider, Skillinvest, she undertook work at the Warrnambool Police Station.

Driven to succeed, Jaynaya juggled school, two jobs and her course. Now she’s passionate about a career in the police force and because she knows the internal workings of the station and programs, she feels it will help her in the application process. 

The SBAT was a journey of self-discovery for Jaynaya as she found her passion which solidified her career goals. 

Jaynaya is also deeply involved with her Aboriginal community and has become the strong voice for the girls who don’t have the confidence but want to achieve change. She mentors them to speak up and express their needs and goals. Her leadership resulted in her winning the 2021 Kalay Academy Camp Leadership Award, and she represented Skillinvest and Victoria Police when she was nominated for the 2021 AEN Indigenous Trainee of the year. 

Finalists

• Brittany Taylor - The Management Edge Pty Ltd, Certificate III in Horticulture
• Brooke Ware - Federation Tafe, Certificate III in Hairdressing

Desirae Kilduff

• Bendigo Kangan Institute
• Diploma of Leadership and Management and Diploma of Human Resource Management

Desirae has a desire for two things; learning, and leadership in her work for First Nations people.She started her professional career as a full-time trainee at ANZ Bank in 2019, this provided Desirae with a pathway into the First Nations Employment Industry. In 2020, Desirae moved into the role of Employment Consultant at Maxima group; the organisation that facilitated her traineeship. Allowing her to share her experience with other First Nations job seekers.

Desirae has achieved great success, completing a Diploma of Business, Diploma of Leadership & Management and Diploma of Human Resource Management and in 2021 was awarded Indigenous Student of the Year. In 2022, she was promoted to Indigenous Program Manager SA/VIC/TAS with Maxima. Every career step is for the advancement of her people. By providing culturally safe spaces for First Nations jobseekers, she assists Mob engage with employment and training, impacting positively on the wider community.

Finalists

• Chelsea Cooke - Holmesglen Institute, Certificate III in Conservation and Land Management
• Edward Bryant - Victorian Aboriginal Community Services Association Limited, Certificate IV in Community Services

Rebecca Toleman

• South West TAFE
• Certificate II in Agriculture, Certificate III in Agriculture, Certificate III in Agriculture (Dairy Production), Certificate IV in Agriculture

Raised in Hawkesdale South-west Victoria, Rebecca Toleman grew-up with farming in her veins. She understands the industry inside out. After secondary school, she detoured into pharmacy, but the call of the wild was too strong, and she returned to milking cows in a herringbone dairy.

After 10 years as a farmer, her passion to teach future farmers led her to SWTAFE. The course began with 30 enrolments. By 2021 this expanded to 370 students, a staggering 1,140 per cent growth, with eight teachers, across 10 programs.   

Her drive to innovate and create the best outcomes for her students saw Rebecca design an agriculture program for secondary school students from non-farming backgrounds which expanded across the region. Rebecca also led SWTAFE to revolutionise calving training by introducing a life-size cow simulator that enabled students to develop their skills without endangering live animals. The ground-breaking initiative became an industry talking-point across the world

Finalists

• Felicity Symons - Elisabeth Murdoch College, MST20616 VCE VET Certificate II in Applied Fashion Design & Technology
• Brooke Pallmann - Wodonga TAFE, Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care, Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care, Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care, Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care

Smart Business Solutions Group

SMART Business Solutions are in their 15th year of providing quality accounting and business advisory, financial planning and mortgage broking.

Business leader Shannon Smart ensures that her entire team participates regularly in training so they’re always up to date with finance and market trends.

Regular structured training sessions happen for two hours each Monday over lunch run by different team members who communicate their specific skill set. Otherwise, team members are involved in ongoing learning in their area of expertise with 59% being enrolled in an external qualification.

This targeted approach to training has shaped a team of high-achieving individuals. They’re encouraged to enter industry awards, which has resulted in 85% achieving finalist status in in the past two years.

Training upskills the team technically, creates internal efficiencies, helps grow the client base and develops soft skills such as client communication and health and wellbeing, to make for a happier work life.

Finalists

• Bira Bira Early Learning Centre Pty Ltd
• Anywise

M.C. Herd Geelong

M.C. Herd, established in 1951, is a third-generation Australian family business. It began life as a small abattoir providing services to the Geelong and district areas and has evolved into a large export abattoir employing over 300 local staff to process beef and lamb for world markets.  

New staff begin their journey with a ‘warm welcome’ - a four-day program using accredited materials customised to industry needs. The program ignites the learning culture by introducing the many opportunities offered by the industry.

They offer nationally accredited qualifications in meat processing, slaughtering, boning, quality assurance and leadership. Currently, 73 per cent of the team are undertaking some form of training including certificate levels.

Their commitment to providing opportunities for every cohort is seen in their ethos that there’s a job for everyone. They work to match roles to the strengths of the individual, including people with disabilities.

Finalists

• G8 Education
• McDonald's Australia Ltd

New Plumbing Solutions

Established in 2009, New Plumbing Solutions (NPS) has a family-style culture with a corporate structure. They nurture their apprentices to be more than just ‘tradies’, and rather full-fledged professionals with a vision to deliver exceptional service in both plumbing and civil services for commercial, industrial, education and government customers.

The company has excelled at training apprentices, who have then flourished into fully qualified plumbers who go on to lead the next generation of NPS apprentices. They’re committed to innovation, a forward-thinking approach and continuous improvement as central elements of their company’s training.

When the pandemic struck, NPS collaborated with the Learning Management System application Edapp, so plumbers and apprentices could remain up-to-date with training, even while working remotely and with social-distancing regulations in place.

The application’s custom-learning tools ensured that the apprenticeship program would be tailor-made to the team and remain relevant as opposed to a generic learning environment. By installing groundwork from the beginning and rotating apprentices through all three divisions of the business (Maintenance, Civil, alongside Relining and Water Metering), as well as investing heavily into the development of their apprentices NPS ensures a skilled workforce committed to company values.

Finalists

• blueAPACHE
• Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency CO OP Ltd

Wellsprings for Women

Located in one of the most culturally diverse and marginalised communities in Melbourne - Dandenong, Casey and Cardinia, Wellsprings for Women has improved the lives of thousands of vulnerable women since its inception in 1994 as a small drop-in group for socially isolated women.

Subsequently it grew to provide 50 education, employment and support programs for around 500 women and children weekly in a safe, encouraging environment where women thrive.

Aside from English and computer literacy and vocational pathway programs, they provide case management to women impacted by mental health, isolation, family violence, poverty and homelessness so they can overcome their complex barriers to education. Services include safety plans, risk assessment, emergency relief, supported referrals and material aid.

Wellsprings impactful work not only meets the needs of learners, it contributes to the wellbeing of the wider community and enables women and children to live free from violence.

Finalists

• Wyndham Community & Education Centre Inc.
• Prace Inc.

Victoria University Polytechnic

Victoria University Polytechnic has inclusivity, diversity and opportunity at the core of its values to enrich workforces and the wider community. Its primary catchment is the western corridor of Melbourne, containing areas of extreme disadvantage and high levels of disclosed disability.

In response, VU Polytechnic developed robust strategies to support a diverse cohort.  Access workers perform comprehensive student needs assessments and develop individual learning plans so students with disabilities can participate equitably. As required, students are provided with specialist learning software, Auslan interpreters or note-takers.

Other opportunities come from VU Polytechnics alliances with major organisations such as Western Health and Western Bulldogs, who provide work placements for students with disability, which may lead to continuing employment.

Victoria University Polytechnic promotes the transformational power of education for all students and develops capabilities for the changing world of work.  In 2021-2022, 75 intellectually disabled students participated in a bespoke curriculum to prepare them for further studies or employment. Encouragingly, most progressed to further studies.

Finalists

• The Gordon Institute of TAFE
• Bendigo TAFE and Kangan Institute

Master Builders Association of Victoria

Master Builders Victoria serves the entire building industry by providing quality training, leadership and professional development services.

Their Building Leadership Simulation Centre, the only one in the southern hemisphere, immerses students in common worksite challenges and provides them with real-world problem-solving opportunities in simulated construction environments. This accelerates learning while eliminating the risks inherent in a real-world setting.

Learning is both flexible and inclusive. Most students work full time and many have limited academic backgrounds. Before undertaking a course, students have a learning, literacy and numeracy assessment to ensure they are an appropriate fit for their courses.

MBV focuses on why people want to learn and the process of learning. They’ve exceeded average outcomes for private training and VET providers across Australia, with 79.5 per cent of graduates having improved employment after training.

MBV continues to deliver valuable training to support the development of a future-ready industry that builds a better world.

Finalist

• Technical Advanced Training

Bendigo TAFE and Kangan Institute

With a solid gold history dating back to the gold rush, Bendigo TAFE and Kangan Institute operates eight TAFE campuses providing leading-edge training in state-of-the-art facilities and vocational education and training across Melbourne’s northern suburbs, regional Victoria, and internationally through partnerships with overseas training institutes.

Education and training spans across diverse study areas, including centres of excellence in automotive and trades, business and IT, food and fibre, health and community services, culinary and hospitality, and Indigenous and foundation courses.

Their TAFEs ensure Victorians have access to world-class skills for a world-class economy. In response to a strong demand for cybersecurity skills in Victoria, they launched the Certificate IV in Cyber Security at Kangan Institute’s Cremorne Campus in March 2022.  Innovative skilling solutions are also delivered in conjunction with overseas providers, including partnering with  Jiaxing Nanyang Polytechnic Institute in Zhejiang, China to deliver a one-of-a-kind mechanical technology marine program.  

Finalists

• Builders Academy Australia
• GOTAFE

Arborists don't grow on trees - Arbortrim Australia Pty Ltd, Citywide, Arboriculture Australia and the Victorian Tree Industry Organisation

Top of the tree of the federal government’s Priority Skills Shortage list is Arboriculture. To address this, the Arborists Don’t Grow on Trees (ADGOT) collaboration was formed including Arbortrim, Citywide, Arboriculture Australia and the Victorian Tree Industry Organisation.

Demand for tree workers continues to grow due to expanding urban forests, the need to maintain vegetation around power infrastructure and responding to storm damage.

As arborists don’t grow on trees, ADGOT is targeting jobseekers and school leavers. They are encouraging more women to join the industry and constructing partnerships to engage indigenous communities. 
Training initiatives include pre-employment programs and safety refreshers, as well as writing “Minimum Industry Standards”, industry reviewed learner guides and operating procedures.

Arbortrim’s Certificate III in Arboriculture and Diploma programs have become a centre of excellence turning out highly skilled and safer workers.

The collaborators have taken a holistic approach to the skills challenge achieving industry wide recognition.

Finalists

• Health Navigator Project/Melbourne Polytechnic Collaboration - Melbourne Polytechnic, Whittlesea Community Connections and Northern Health
• Turning Point / YSAS / SHARC - Turning Point, YSAS - Youth Support and Advocacy Service & SHARC – Self Help Addiction Resource Centre

Mary Faraone

Howard Kelly