Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Small and Family Business) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Brockman, yes I can. You would be aware that, at the end of the last sitting week—in fact, on the Thursday night—the 25th Australian Training Awards were held at the International Convention Centre in Sydney, and this was all about recognising the excellence and professionalism in vocational education and training in Australia. I was delighted to attend and to meet with hundreds and hundreds of people who are dedicated to ensuring that the vocational education and training sector in Australia is the best it can be.

Our government recognises that vocational education and training is an important pathway. It is an important pathway that has served the Australian community, individuals, businesses and our economy well for the better part of a century. In fact, it is our highly skilled workforce in Australia that sets us apart from other countries and ensures that we are a place of unrivalled economic growth.

At the training awards, there were a number of awards handed out. In fact, there were 18 handed out on the night. The Apprentice of the Year was a gentleman by the name of Mr Michael Edwards, and he was from Wagga Wagga. Many of the senators in this place will be pleased to know that Mr Edwards was a mature-age person. He was a motor mechanic for 15 years before his bosses at Snowy Hydro said to him, 'We would like you to take on another trade and become an electrician.' As Mr Edwards said, this was a great decision for both parties, both for the employer and for him in particular, because the skills that he now has as a mature-age person are in such high demand. We also had a young lady from Perth by the name of Caitlin Whittle. She won the Australian School-based Apprentice of the Year. I wish all of the winners on the night my very best.