Awards Acknowledge TAFE Queensland’s Top Trade Talent

TAFE Queensland Apprentice Awards serve as a powerful tribute to hardworking apprentices who are also the emerging leaders within the industries, including heavy commercial industries

Fourteen high-achieving Queensland apprentices were crowned Apprentice of the Year in each of their respective trade categories at the 2023 TAFE Queensland SkillsTech CSQ Apprentice Awards held on November 16 at Howard Smith Wharves in Brisbane.

Now in its sixth year, the Apprentice Awards celebrate apprentices who are training at TAFE Queensland SkillsTech across 14 trade categories ranging from building and construction categories to light automotive and heavy commercial industries and everything in between.

The 14 individual winners were nominated by either their employers or teachers and were selected from a pool of more than 10,000 apprentices who are in training across the TAFE Queensland SkillsTech region on campuses including Acacia Ridge, Alexandra Hills, Bracken Ridge, and Eagle Farm.

TAFE Queensland SkillsTech General Manager Stephen Gates says the awards are a chance for some of the hardest-working members of the state’s essential trade industries to be recognised for their excellence.

“The annual Apprentice Awards are a great opportunity to celebrate the dedication and success of the next generation of local tradespeople and I’d like to congratulate all of the finalists on their achievements,” he says.

“For many of the winners, this is the first time ever that they have been celebrated for an academic achievement and it was incredibly touching to both see and hear what it meant to all of our finalists, their employers, and their families who attended the ceremony on the night.

“Our Apprentice Awards serve as a powerful tribute to our hardworking apprentices who are also the emerging leaders within the industries whose services keep the gears of our daily lives turning.”

The 2023 TAFE Queensland SkillsTech CSQ Apprentice Award winners were:

• Small Employer Of The Year (sponsored by Apprentice Employment Network): The Clarke Services Group;
• Large Employer Of The Year (sponsored by Technology One): Mader Group;
• Outstanding Apprentice Of The Year (sponsored by Construction Skills Queensland): Tully Kendall – employed by RWD Joinery;

• General Manager’s Apprentice Of The Year (sponsored by The Busy Group): James Hickey – employed by McNab Constructions;
• Heavy Commercial Industries Apprentice Of The Year (sponsored by Heavy Vehicle Industries Australia): Dylan Vivian – employed by East Coast Diesels;
• Carpentry Apprentice Of The Year (sponsored by TradeTools): Remo Italia – employed by Italia Projects;

• Furnishing Trades Apprentice of the Year (Sponsored by Bunnings Trade and Kaboodle), Tully Kendall – employed by RWD Joinery;
• Construction Apprentice Of The Year (sponsored by CBUS): Lachlan Vine – employed by Superior Walls and Ceilings;
• Painting and Decorating Apprentice Of The Year (sponsored by TAFE Queensland Foundation): Connor Thornton – employed by QBuild;

• Bricklaying Apprentice Of The Year (sponsored by Brick and Block Careers): Hamid Amini – employed by Precise Masonry QLD;
• Plumbing and Gas Fitting Apprentice Of The Year (sponsored by Reece Australia): Raven Bowman – employed by Alexander Gas & Plumbing Co;
• Electrical Apprentice Of The Year (sponsored by MEGT): Jack Matthews – employed by Solar Air Energy;

• Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Apprentice Of The Year (sponsored by Fluke Australia): Samantha Smith – employed by CVSG Asset Services;
• Light Automotive Apprentice Of The Year (sponsored by VIVA Energy Australia): William Grace – employed by GH Varley;
• Engineering and Manufacturing Apprentice Of The Year (sponsored by Weld Australia): Rhys McLenahan – employed by Munster Services Group;

• Recreational Vehicle Apprentice Of The Year (sponsored by Caravan Trade and Industries Association of Queensland): Oliver Harrison – employed by Suncoast Caravan Service;
• Instrumentation Apprentice Of The Year (sponsored by Yokogawa Australia), Josh McKay: employed by Golden West Apprenticeships; and
• School-Based Apprentice Of The Year (sponsored by MAS National): Max Shore – employed by Queensland Forklifts.