Indigenous students honoured at training awards

Shirley Darcy and Dion Sands walked tall at The Australian Training Awards in Darwin on Friday as they were honoured in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year category.

Shirley emerged the winner, a proud Wiradjuri woman from Victoria, for her outstanding efforts as part of a First Nations pilot Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.

The pilot was designed to support the strengths, experiences, and ways of learning of First Nations students, and it empowered Shirley to become an educator.

It gave her the tools and confidence to create accessible and inclusive learning environments.

Shirley now teaches the Diploma of Community Services to First Nations students at The Gordon Institute.

Through her unwavering belief in education as a tool for self-determination and change, Shirley is shaping the next generation of support workers in Victoria.

Dion, from Queensland was runner-up in the category for his qualification Certificate III in Conservation and Ecosystem Management.

A proud descendant of the Gunggandji people, e was offered a traineeship through the Gunggandji Ranger Program, which operates on his traditional country,

It was an opportunity to look after his country and give back to his community.

Dion completed he was employed as a trainee with the Gunggandji-Mandingalbay Yidinji Peoples Prescribed Body Corporate (GMYPPBC) Aboriginal Corporation.

Focused on becoming an environmental leader, Dion is mentoring younger members of his ranger team to strive and look to the future.

Other finalists

ACT: Jaharn Mundy-Drazevich

A Certificate III in Allied Health Assistance and a Certificate III in Community Services. He completed both as school-based apprenticeships through Indigenous Allied Health Australia and the Canberra Institute of Technology.

Jaharn is a strong advocate for increasing Aboriginal representation in health services.

Jaharn Mundy-Drazevich

NSW: James Barry

Known to many as ‘Poncho’, James is a tourism professional with decades of experience in sharing stories, culture and history with visitors from around the world.

James completed a Certificate III in Guiding through TAFE NSW while balancing multiple jobs, community responsibilities and family duties.

Buoyed by the success of his training experience, James is planning to launch an Indigenous tourism venture that celebrates the rich culture and history of Wonnarua Country.

James Barry

NT: Nicholas Yarran

Known for his strong work ethic and teamwork, Nicholas balanced his traineeship journey with an illustrious career in the Northern Territory Football League. Juggling footy commitments with interstate training blocks and shiftwork required discipline, resilience and time management.

Nicholas completed a Certificate III in Process Plant Operations through TAFE International WA (RTO) and Programmed Skilled Workforce (GTO) while being hosted full-time by Santos at its Darwin LNG facility.

Nicholas Yarran

SA: Callan McKenzie

Callan is completing his plumbing apprenticeship through TAFE SA (RTO) and the Trainee and Apprenticeship Placement Service (GTO), while being hosted by Connekt Contracting.

Callan has helped prepare a Reconciliation Action Plan on behalf of his GTO and host employer, and he has also participated in a cultural leadership program designed to bring First Nations apprentices together in a supportive community.

Callan McKenzie

TAS: Braydon Gower

With a passion for food and the creative process of cooking, Braydon has wanted to be a chef for as long as he can remember. He made his dream a reality by completing a Certificate III in Commercial Cookery through TasTAFE and the Gorge Restaurant.

Braydon is now employed at Palawa Kipli, Tasmania’s only Aboriginal food business, where he brings culture to life through cuisine.

Braydon Gower

WA: Laurenzia Divilli

Seeking a fresh career and a new challenge, Laurenzia completed a Certificate IV in Beauty Therapy at the Broome Campus of North Regional TAFE, gaining practical and theoretical skills in skincare, nail care, makeup, waxing, and salon operations.

In her role as an Aboriginal Educational Support Officer with North Regional TAFE, Laurenzia supports current beauty students through their training, while providing a positive example to the young people in her community.

Laurenzia Divilli