TAFE tops awards

BENDIGO TAFE and its students cleaned up at the Victorian Training Awards earlier this month, taking out four of the nights fifteen top gongs.

Together with the Kangan Institute, Bendigo TAFE was named Large Training Provider of the Year at the gala ceremony in Melbourne.

It was the 68th year of the annual event that honours individuals and organisations in the Victorian TAFE and training sector.

The TAFE’s Desirae Kilduff was awarded Koorie Student of the Year alongside Franchesca Morrell who received the Trainee of the Year award.

Jaynaya Miller took out School-based Apprentice or Trainee of the Year, nudging out fellow student Madison Giordano who was also a finalist for the award.

Each category award recipient won $5000 in prize money and a 2022 Victorian Training Award trophy, they’ll also represent Victoria at the Australian Training Awards in November.

Kangan Institute and Bendigo TAFE CEO Sally Curtain said the awards were an honour.

“An absolute credit to our dedicated and committed staff…who put students at the centre of everything we do,” she said.

“Despite the challenges of COVID-19 over the past year, our teams were able to adapt swiftly to the challenges and go above and beyond to ensure our TAFEs and our students continued to thrive.”

The TAFE was also an Inclusive Training Provider finalist for the second year in a row, recognition Ms Curtain said of the institutions work in the space.