Jul 25, 2021 | 0 comments

Minister for Employment and Small Business and Minister for Training and Skills Development

The Honourable Di Farmer

Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service recognised for exceptional training

A regional health service focused on delivering exceptional training quality has been selected as a North Coast regional winner in the 60th annual Queensland Training Awards.

Minister for Training and Skills Development Di Farmer named Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service and 10 other North Coast regional winners, recognising their significant contribution to training Queenslanders especially at such a challenging time.

“The Palaszczuk Government put investing in skills at the centre of our COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan, and with over $1 billion in the recent state budget dedicated to training and skills we are delivering on that commitment,” Minister Farmer said.

“The Queensland Training Awards provide a perfect opportunity for us to shine a spotlight on our top achievers in training and highlight the power of skills.”

Member for Hervey Bay, Adrian Tantari, said he was delighted that the hard and dedicated work of Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service had been recognised.

“To be named as the North Coast Large Employer of the Year in the Queensland Training Awards is a fantastic achievement,” Mr Tantari said.

“This recognises their dedication to developing and investing in their staff and commitment to excellence through innovation.

“Training has been key to supporting the service’s strategic direction, with each employee undertaking an average of 10 training events each year.”

Member for Pumicestone Ali King said she was proud of the North Coast winner in the School-based Apprentice or Trainee of the Year category, Loralei Coleman.

“Loralei went from having a childhood fear of the dentist to choosing it as a career path, after hearing her dentist’s own inspiring story of how she got started in the industry,” Ms King said.

“Loralei enquired about work experience at Sandstone Point Dental and was delighted to be offered a school-based traineeship as a dental assistant.

“It’s so inspiring to hear that Loralei now plans to complete her Certificate III in Dental Assisting and join the Royal Australian Navy with a dental preference, so that she can continue her training and studies and eventually become a fully qualified dentist or oral surgeon.”

Member for Nicklin Robert Skelton congratulated TAFE Queensland student Mikayo Mundy.

“I am impressed by the achievements of Vocational Student of the Year winner, Mikayo Mundy from Towen Mountain,” Mr Skelton said.

“Mikayo left traditional schooling in Year 7, completing distance education so that he could train full-time as a professional wakeboarder.

“This alternative pathway led him to complete a Diploma of Screen and Media, fast tracking his studies.

“Mikayo has been able to follow his passions and achieve his goals and will graduate with Bachelor of Film and Screen Media at just 18.”

Member for Pine Rivers Nikki Boyd said it was extremely important that the hard work of the state’s outstanding apprentices, trainees, students, employers, teachers and training projects was recognised.

“I want to congratulate Courtney Baker, the North Coast Equity VET Student of the Year,” Ms Boyd said.

“For Courtney, the opportunity to complete a traineeship with the Youth Development Foundation was her big chance to achieve her dreams.

“As the first person in her family to complete a traineeship, I am so proud of her determination to succeed and achieve her goals.

“Through her training pathway, Courtney has found sustainable employment, financial independence and become a role model for her younger siblings and community.”

“Congratulations to the regional winners who are the skilled Queenslanders we need for our economy to continue to bounce back better.”

The regional winners will now vie for the state titles, which will be announced at the State Final Event in September.

Photos of winners are available here: https://bit.ly/3zkPuZ8

Full list of North Coast winners:

  • Small Employer of the Year – Hamilton
  • Medium Employer of the Year – Just Better Care Brisbane North
  • Large Employer of the Year – Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service
  • Community Training Initiative of the Year – Five Bridges
  • VET Teacher or Trainer of the Year – Narelle Crick
  • Equity VET Student of the Year – Courtney Baker
  • School-based Apprentice or Trainee of the Year – Loralei Coleman
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year – Maddison Wiggs
  • Vocational Student of the Year – Mikayo Mundy
  • Bob Marshman Trainee of the Year – Anja Siebers
  • Harry Hauenschild Apprentice of the Year – Casey Hewitt

To learn more about the Queensland Training Awards visit https://desbt.qld.gov.au/training/qta

Media contact: Kate Talbot  07 4124 2526