📋 Tender Overview
Minister for Finance, Trade, Employment and TrainingThe Honourable Ros Bates
Regional Queensland dominates state training awards
More than half of the 2026 Queensland Training Awards statewide winners are regional apprentices, businesses and training providers.
Women claimed five of the seven individual award categories, including two apprentices in male dominated trades.
The Crisafulli Government is backing Queenslanders to get skills today for a job tomorrow and turning the tide on Labors skills shortages.
The Crisafulli Government is delivering more jobs and better services through a stronger economy, after a decade of decline under Labor.
The Crisafulli Government is delivering the skilled workforce needed to build Queenslands future and celebrating the next generation of superstar apprentices and trainees.
The statewide winners in this years Queensland Training Awards have been announced, with regional apprentices, businesses and training providers taking out 8 of 13 categories.
Labors decade of decline created skills shortages all over the State, but the Crisafulli Government is delivering more jobs and better services through a stronger economy by backing Queenslanders who are going to help build the future of the State and turning the tide on Labors failures.
This years QTA winners were selected from more than 750 nominations, including apprentices, trainees and students building careers, teachers preparing Queenslanders for work, and employers creating pathways into skilled jobs.
Townsvilles Nicola Todd was named Apprentice of the Year, while Cairns school-based apprentice Tahlia Mundraby-Holmes received the school-based Apprentice or Trainee of the Year award.
Gold Coast civil construction trainee Conor Stevenson was named Bob Marshman Trainee of the Year, while former head chef Erin Pender was named VET Teacher or Trainer of the Year after taking her industry experience into the classroom at Loganlea State High School.
Five of the seven individual awards were won by women, highlighting the career opportunities available to Queensland women in traditionally male dominated industries.
The winners will now go on to represent Queensland at the Australian Training Awards in Sydney on 20 November.
Minister for Finance, Trade, Employment and Training Ros Bates said this years award recipients showed the future of Queenslands skilled workforce is in good hands.
These awards showcase some incredible stories and highlight the impacts the vocational training sector has on Queenslanders every day, Minister Bates said.
Labors decade of decline left us with dire skills shortages, but the Crisafulli Government is delivering record numbers of apprenticeship completions and the number of Queenslanders looking to pick up a trade is surging.
There may have been 13 official Queensland Training Award recipients, but Id say anyone whos made the decision to pick up a trade is onto an absolute winner.
To learn more about the Queensland Training Awards, visit www.dtet.qld.gov.au/training/qta
ENDS
MEDIA CONTACT: Christian Penny, 0439 882 294ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Full list of winners:
Individual award categories
Harry Hauenschild Apprentice of the Year - Nicola Todd, Certificate III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology, Kirwan
Bob Marshman Trainee of the Year - Conor Stevenson, Certificate III in Civil Construction, Coomera
Vocational Student of the Year - Helaine Wilesmith, Certificate IV in Marine Habitat Conservation and Restoration, and Certificate IV in Conservation and Ecosystem Management Regional, Brighton
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year - Stirling Ludwick, Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, Yarrabah
School-based Apprentice or Trainee of the Year - Tahlia Mundraby-Holmes, Certificate III in Mobile Plant Technology, Manoora
Equity Student of the Year - Krystal Marie Lunny, Certificate III in Hairdressing, Forest Lake
VET Teacher or Trainer of the Year - Erin Pender, Loganlea State High School, Loganlea
Organisation award categories
Community Training Initiative of the Year - Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuarys N.E.S.T Eco-conservation Skills Traineeship program
Large Employer of the Year - Cowboys Leagues Club, Townsville
Small Employer of the Year - Byrne Lawyers, Gladstone
Large Training Provider of the Year - Asset College, North Lakes
Small Training Provider of the Year - Orbus3, Caboolture
Premiers Industry Collaboration Award - Townsville Aviation Training Academy - Aviation Australia and Boeing Defence Australia
