2023 Apprentice Employment Network Awards

The Apprentice Employment Network NSW & ACT Awards (AEN Awards) recognise outstanding achievements in the vocational education and training sector. The awards reward and honour the achievements of apprentices, trainees, host employers and group training organisations.

We are pleased to announce our 2023 winners

Award Partners for 2023

We would like to acknowledge our partners for the 2023 awards event.

Major Awards Partner

 

 

 

 

Category Partners

Award Partners

 

 

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Opportunities are still available for sponsorship. Please click here to view the current sponsorship prospectus. For more information, please call Jason Sultana on 0419 466 584 or email jason@aennswact.com.au

Closing Date

Nominations and required supporting documentation/information must be lodged online by 5 pm FRIDAY 18TH AUGUST 2023. AEN NSW & ACT reserves the right to extend the nomination closing date if necessary.

Selection Process

A panel of judges will be appointed by AEN NSW & ACT to assess the applications based on the criteria submitted on the application form. It is expected that the decisions of the panel will be made based on the written application. No interviews will be held.

Variation of Awards

Depending on the volume and quality of nominations received AEN NSW & ACT may vary the number and title of categories from those published on this online nomination form.

Privacy Notice

The information provided by the applicant/nominee on this entry form will be used by the Apprentice Employment Network NSW & ACT for the purpose of administration, judging and general communication in regard to the 2023 AEN Awards. The provision of this information is essential to determine your eligibility for consideration for an Award. Information will be stored securely. Information and images may also be used in the promotion of the awards post the event in the media and through our event partners.

If all or any of the required information is not provided then AEN NSW & ACT may deem the application incomplete and may consider the nominee ineligible for entry in the 2023 AEN Awards.

Costs to GTOs

GTOs must be aware that no free tickets will be issued to finalists to attend the event. We would ask GTOs to cover any costs associated with finalists attending on the night.

How to apply

Read through the General Eligibility and Assessment Criteria on this page for the nominating category. All award nominations must be submitted online via this website. No email or paper based nominations will be accepted. At the bottom of the Assessment Criteria information for each category is a button to click on to start the submission process.

You must complete the online submission form for the category when submitting. In order to complete a nomination successfully, you will also be required to upload:

Size limits are applicable with each upload so please be aware of this when nominating.

General Eligibility Criteria

Up to 2 nominations per category allowed

Apprentice of the year
Trainee of the year

  1. Candidates may only be nominated by their Group Training Organisation and the Group Training Organisation must be a financial member of AEN NSW ACT at the time of the nomination being received.

  2. Candidates must have training agreements registered with the NSW Department of Industry or Skills Canberra; and

  3. Have completed, or are due to complete their training between 1 October 2022 and 30 September 2023 in a training course that leads to a nationally recognised outcome or qualification relevant to this award.

Inclusion Trainee / Apprentice of the Year 

The nominee must meet the full criteria for the Apprentice or Trainee of the Year category. The aim of this inclusion award is to embrace all people irrespective of race, gender, disability, medical or other needs. In addition:

  1. The individual should identify in their application what has impacted them to complete their apprenticeship or traineeship; and

  2. At the discretion of the Group Training Organisation and the apprentice/trainee, the candidate may also be nominated for the Apprentice/Trainee of the Year Awards.

First Nations Trainee / Apprentice of the Year

The nominee must meet the full criteria for the Apprentice or Trainee of the Year category. In addition:

  1. The candidate must be of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent, identify as such and be accepted as such in the community in which they live; and

  2. At the discretion of the Group Training Organisation and the apprentice/trainees, the candidate may also be nominated for the apprentice or trainee of the year awards.

School-Based Trainee / Apprentice of the Year

The nominee must be attending a registered school in NSW or ACT and completing a school-based traineeship or apprenticeship in 2023

Women in Trades Trainee / Apprentice of the Year

  1. The nominee must meet the full criteria for the Apprentice or Trainee of the Year category. In addition:

  2. The candidate must be a female Apprentice or Trainee in a trade recognised as male-dominated.

One nomination per GTO is only allowed.

Excellence in Group Training

1. This is to recognise an AEN NSW ACT Member Group Training Organisation.

2. Must have provided an exceptional program, initiative or item that has made a difference in the last 12 months.

One nomination per GTO only allowed.

AEN Employee of the Year

1. Must be employed within a AEN NSW ACT Member Group Training Organisation.

2. Must be able to demonstrate exceptional performance in the last 12 months.

One nomination per GTO is only allowed for the Small host category.
One nomination per GTO is only allowed for the Large Host category.

Small Host Employer – (Less than 20 Employees)
Large Host Employer – (20 or more Employees)

  1. Must have had one apprentice or trainee with the host within 2023.

CLICK HERE TO MAKE A NOMINATION

IMPORTANT NOTE TO ALL GTOS – Do not leave it to the apprentice or trainee to complete the nomination online. I strongly urge field staff to assist in the nomination process to ensure all the criteria is met and that judges best understand why this individual should be nominated. Judges can only assess on what they are provided in the nomination process. 

For all enquiries and questions about the awards, please contact:

Jason Sultana
Executive Officer
Apprentice Employment Network NSW & ACT

P: 0419 466 584
E: jason@aennswact.com.au

Assessment Criteria for each Award

Each submission should address the following assessment criteria on a Word or PDF document that will be required to be attached to the nomination online:

Apprentice of the Year, 

Trainee of the Year, 

Inclusion Trainee/Apprentice of the Year,

First Nations Trainee/Apprentice of the Year, 

Women in Trades Trainee/Apprentice of the Year, 

School-Based Trainee/Apprentice of the Year

On the Job Performance
Points for guidance:

  1. Skill development (e.g. the rapid development of competencies, the height of skill attained, any additional skills developed and translation of skills attained off the job into the workplace, Awards or recognition received)
  2. Knowledge of Host Employer’s business
  3. Awareness and understanding of new developments and trends in apprentice/trainee’s workplace or industry
  4. Overall work performance and commitment to the apprenticeship/traineeship
  5. Demonstrated commitment to safe work practices

Off the Job Training (Including evidence of TAFE/RTO results)
Points for guidance:

  1. TAFE/RTO Results (e.g. consistent high grades, awards received and/ or additional studies undertaken)
  2. Demonstration of the integration of skills learnt off the job with on the job performance
  3. Understanding of the vocational education and training system and the value of learning; (eg understanding why they are doing training both on and off the job training; what is great about the pathway/career they have chosen)

Personal Skills
Points for guidance:

  1. Communication skills and personal presentation, (e.g. effective written and oral communication, level and quality of communication with GTO, host and/or TAFE/RTO)
  2. Team Work and Leadership (e.g. self started projects and team participation)
  3. Goal setting and planning (e.g. work involving goal setting and attainment)
  4. Self reliance (e.g. demonstrated ability to manage own skill and personal development)
  5. Community involvement relevant to their apprenticeship/traineeship (eg an apprentice cook who volunteers in a nursing home)
CLICK HERE TO MAKE A NOMINATION

Small Host Employer of the Year (less than 20 employees)
Large Host Employer of the Year (20 or more employees)

Commitment to the Apprenticeship & Traineeship system
Examples might include:

  • Numbers of apprentices and trainees in training (currently and over time)
  • Responsiveness to requirements of the Contract of Training/Training Plan
  • Flexibility in the provision of on-the-job training to meet training requirements (e.g.rotation, flexible delivery)
  • Take up or retention of apprentices/trainees in the difficult business environment
  • Willingness to take on out-of-trade apprentices/trainees

Quality of Training provided to apprentices and trainees

Examples might include:

  • Integration of on-the-job and off-the-job training
  • Integration of training into business operations
  • Quality of Occupational Health & Safety systems
  • Interaction with TAFE/RTO
  • Availability and quality of supervision and supervisors; and
  • Additional support and/or development are offered to apprentices and trainees to meet their skill and personal development needs.

Support for the Group Training system and overall relationship with the Group Training Company

Examples might include:

  • Length of time of relationship with Group Training Organisation
  • Nature of relationship with GTO (e.g. has the GTO been involved in specific projects, business planning or other activities that show the strength of relationship)
  • Communication – timeliness and quality of interactions on all issues to do with apprentices and trainees
  • Support for on-the-job assessment processes
CLICK HERE TO MAKE A NOMINATION

Excellence in Group Training

This award is aimed to recognise a GTO for demonstrating outstanding contributions to the success our industry.

Excellence and Innovation

  • Examples of how the GTO makes a significant contribution to excellence in the field.
  • How the GTO addresses the needs of internal and external clients
  • What is unique or innovative about the GTO  has provided.

Client focus

  • Systems and processes for collecting information on client needs and satisfaction
  • Demonstrated recognition and/or acknowledgement from clients, students and colleagues
  • Any specialist support is provided for students with special needs, such as Indigenous students, students with disabilities, students from a non-English speaking background, students in remote areas, and gifted and talented students.

Professionalism & commitment to support services for VET and GTOs

  • Demonstrated efficiency, accuracy and timeliness in dealing with customer enquiries
  • Contribution to performance enhancement efforts such as professional development of other staff, acting as mentors, guides or models for others.
  • Contribution to achieving GTO and VET goals
  • How the GTO engaged with other professionals to improve the GTO standard of services provided to clients.

AEN Employee of the Year

This award is aimed to recognise an individual inside a GTO who has made a significant impact on the Group Training Industry in the last 12 months

Excellence and Innovation

  • Examples of how your nomination made a significant contribution towards your GTO.
  • How the individual addresses the needs of internal and external clients
  • What is unique or innovative about this nomination
  • What outcomes were achieved as a result
CLICK HERE TO MAKE A NOMINATION