History making apprentice secures scholarship

THE Mount Gambier Lakes Rotary Club, in partnership with Group Training Employment (GTE), is proud to name Georgia Paxon as the recipient of the apprentice scholarship for 2026.

The aim of the Mount Gambier Lakes Rotary Club GTE Apprentice Scholarship is to assist traditional trade apprentices from the South East of South Australia who have demonstrated hardship in their personal circumstances and aptitude in vocational education and training to achieve their potential by successfully completing their trade.

Georgia is a first year apprentice in Small Engine Mechanics (Certificate 3 in Outdoor Power Equipment), legally employed by GTE and hosted by the STIHL Shop Mount Gambier.

Georgia’s achievement is particularly notable as she is GTE’s first female apprentice in this non-traditional trade, a role she pursued on her own initiative after working at the STIHL Shop for two years during school.

Navigating an apprenticeship requires great dedication, but Georgia has done so while facing significant personal challenges.

Following a change in family circumstances, she has managed emotional health difficulties and family instability while living in a single-income household with her father.

Her father, who has worked on a dairy farm for nine years, was recently faced with health challenges, adding further financial and physical pressure to their situation.

Without a vehicle or license, Georgia currently relies on her father for transport, which results in him losing work hours and wages.

The scholarship will provide Georgia with the financial security and practical support needed to focus on her studies and manage the costs associated with traveling to Adelaide for training at Regency TAFE.

“This scholarship will make a significant difference,” Georgia said. “It will help manage the costs of traveling to trade school and support me in gaining the independence I need to continue my apprenticeship with confidence.

“I have always wanted to work in mechanics—pulling engines apart and putting them back together has always come naturally to me—and I am committed to building a future for myself in the small motor mechanics’ trade.”

Mount Gambier Lakes Rotary Club president Andrew Mattheson was delighted to award Georgia the scholarship.

He said that while there was a strong pool of applicants, Georgia’s resilience, proactive nature, and dedication to her chosen career path stood out.

“Her direct supervisor at the STIHL Shop describes her as a motivated and reliable individual who listens carefully and applies her learning directly to the job at hand,” Mr Matheson said.

GTE field operations manager Kyle Gleed, who coordinated the application process, said GTE was proud of Georgia and recognised her positive contribution to her workplace and her inspiring tenacity in the face of hardship.

“While we can only offer this scholarship to one recipient each year, Georgia has demonstrated the strongest satisfaction of the assessment criteria on this occasion,” Mr Gleed said. “As a community-focused not-for-profit, GTE is committed to supporting our workers through collaborations with organizations like the Mount Gambier Lakes Rotary Club.”

The Mount Gambier Lakes Rotary Club GTE Apprentice Scholarship is an addition to many of the club’s other community offerings, such as the Australia Day Breakfast, Blue Lake Fun Run, and various global charities.

If this has inspired you to think about what you could do to help your community, you may want to consider joining the Mount Gambier Lakes Rotary Club as a member. For more information, please email: [email protected]