Students shine at the Technical Group gala awards dinner
9 September 2011
Host Shane Jacobson kept the audience riveted all evening
From simple tools to state-of-the-art machines, our most outstanding technical students have mastered it all and had their chance to shine at Kangan Institute's Technical Group gala awards dinner held on Thursday September 1.
More than 150 students, guests, staff and industry representatives attended the event and celebrated the successes of award-winning students across a range of technical departments.
Held at Bell City event centre in Preston, the ceremony was hosted by Shane Jacobson, an award-winning actor, presenter and co-host of the popular automotive television program Top Gear Australia.
Kangan Institute CEO Ray Griffiths said the event was a resounding success.
"These award ceremonies are a great way to acknowledge the efforts of our highest-achieving students - many of whom have already progressed to great careers in highly competitive environments," he said.
"Such ceremonies reaffirm what a TAFE education is all about -providing individuals with high quality vocational education to help them reach their fullest potential."
Top performing student Brenton Hands (right) is pictured with Kangan Institute Board President Michael Brown
Award winners represented a range of departments within the Technical Group, including aviation, engineering and security, automotive, manufacturing and construction sectors, with industry partners supporting individual awards.
The top-performing student of the Technical Group was Brenton Hands who took out both the Technical Group Gold Medallion and the Apprentice of the Year Award.
Currently employed with Puffing Billy, Brenton studied a Certificate III in Heavy Vehicle at Kangan Institute and was a Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce (VACC) apprentice. He stood out for his commitment to learn and excel through studies, apprenticeships and voluntary work.
"When I started, the only thing I knew how to do was use my hands," he said.
"At TAFE, I managed to learn so much more about the industry - from rebuilding engines to the diagnosis of why something isn't working."
Brenton received prizes from sponsors that include an impressive tool set valued at $500 provided by K & P Dean Distributors and a $500 cheque from The Rotary Club of Essendon.
Other winners on the night include:
- Nicholas Gellion - John Edwards Memorial Award for Best Student in Aviation
Supported by the Rotary Club of Strathmore - Michael O'Connor - Best Student in Engineering Award
Supported by Henkel Loctite Australia - Wendy Furniss - Best Student in Built and Natural Environments Award
Supported by Fielders - Adam Cottom - Best Student in the Diploma of Building and Construction
- Vanessa Hollow - Landscape Victoria, Landscaping Apprentice of the Year
Supported by Landscape Victoria - Jason Oliver - Competitive Operations Award
- Darren Lee - Lean Implementation Award
- Thomas Fulham - Logistics Award
- Milan Roldan - Han Michel Award for Best Polymer Student
Supported by the Society of Plastics Engineers - Simon Gallagher - AR Jackson Award for Best 1st Year Apprentice across all trades
Supported by the Rotary Club of Coburg - Barry Ellis - David Wiltshire Memorial Award for Best 2nd Year Automotive Apprentice
Supported by Peter and Felicity Wiltshire - Thomas Carroll - Automotive Electrical Apprentice of the Year
Supported by Jay Dee Autocables - Frederico Nunes - Trucks in Action, Civil Works Expo and Farm World Award for Best Heavy Vehicle Student
Supported by Lardner Park Events - Bradley Schulz - The Sir Henry Royce Foundation Award for Excellence in Automotive
Supported by Sir Henry Royce Foundation - Ning Zhu - Nominee for Ulysses Motorcycle Apprentice of the Year
