TasTAFE celebrates the 2025 Trade Excellence Awards

The TasTAFE Trade Excellence Awards returned in 2025, with presentation ceremonies at Burnie Town Hall (5 August), Launceston Country Club (7 August), and Wrest Point in Hobart (13 August).

These annual statewide awards recognise the outstanding commitment and excellence of our top apprentices, trainees and workplace-based learners.

Awards are presented across all trade disciplines – including allied trades, automotive, construction, electrotechnology, metals, plumbing, hospitality and tourism, cookery, primary industries, horticulture, and hair and beauty.

Nominated by their TasTAFE teachers with endorsement from their employers, our 63 award winners for 2025 came together to celebrate with their teachers, families, friends, and colleagues and industry, enjoying   canapes and conversation before and after the formal award presentations.

These ceremonies were also an opportunity to say thank youto our employers and sponsors, including state sponsor Reece, and regional sponsors Kincrome and Apprenticeship Support Australia – recognising the strong partnerships that TasTAFE continues to build with industry and the wider Tasmanian community.

TasTAFE Interim CEO Will McShane acknowledged the achievements of learners across the state.

“I would like to recognise and celebrate all learners who have undertaken a commitment to develop their skills with TasTAFE,” he said.

“Our role as ‘Tasmania’s TAFE’ is something that we take seriously and with pride. We hear regularly from our staff and learners of the critical role we play in helping to shape the futures of individuals, their families, employers and communities.

“Occasions such as these recognise that role, and provide us with an opportunity to pause and reflect on our bold vision, ‘transforming lives through learning’.”

Building on our established award categories from 2024, 3 new categories for 2025 celebrated diversity and inclusion in the trades:

• Female Trade Learner of the Year (awarded in each region)
• First Nations Trade Learner of the Year (awarded in each region); and
• Equity Trade Learner of the Year (statewide), recognising learners who have overcome barriers to success.

Read more about our winners in these new categories.

2025 TASTAFE TRADE EXCELLENCE AWARDS WINNERS LIST

Statewide

• Outstanding Training Commitment - Civil Construction Apprentice; sponsored by Civil Contractors Federation Tasmania – Veronique Guilbert
• Primary Industries Learner of the Year; sponsored by TasFarmers – Georgia Newett
• Beauty Trainee of the Year; sponsored by Dermalogica & Professional Salon Brands – Iarnah Spencer
• Hairdressing and Barbering Apprentice of the Year; sponsored by Wella Professionals – Jessica Williams
• Bakery and Butchery Apprentice/Trainee of the Year; sponsored by Baking Association of Australia – Brianah Stebbings
• Civil Construction Final Year Apprentice of the Year; sponsored by Total Tools Hobart & Kingston – Jaylen Chilcott
• Horticulture and Environment Learner of the Year; sponsored by TasTAFE – Jack O'Hare
• Cookery Learner of the Year; sponsored by Hospitality Tasmania – Phonprapha Korenstra
• Hospitality and Tourism Learner of the Year; sponsored by Festivale – Kristin McCutcheon
• Equity Trade Learner of the Year; sponsored by MAS National – Doh (Tony) Htoo

North-West Region

• Pre-Apprenticeship Learner of the Year; sponsored by BOC Limited – Trinity Lapham
• Overall First Year Apprentice; sponsored by KEEN Partners – Talon Eley
• Overall Second Year Apprentice; sponsored by CPB Contractors – Donavon Taylor
• Overall Third Year Apprentice; sponsored by TasNetworks – Ethan Mitchell
• Outstanding Training Commitment - Allied Trades Apprentice; sponsored by Genus – Brock Holloway
• Outstanding Training Commitment - Automotive Apprentice; sponsored by Kincrome – Karen Milos
• Outstanding Training Commitment - Construction Apprentice; sponsored by CPB Contractors – Samuel Purton
• Outstanding Training Commitment - Electrotechnology Apprentice; sponsored by AWM Electrical & Data Suppliers Burnie – Konstantina Alexiou
• Outstanding Training Commitment - Metals Apprentice; sponsored by Tasmanian Minerals, Manufacturing & Energy Council – Cody Hancock
• Outstanding Training Commitment - Plumbing Apprentice; sponsored by Reece – Donavon Taylor
• Female Trade Learner of the Year; sponsored by Apprenticeship Support Australia – Jodi Batchelor
• First Nations Learner of the Year; sponsored by ACEN Australia – Ezekiel Bond
• Allied Trades Final Year Apprentice of the Year; sponsored by Master Builders Tasmania – Liam Holden
• Automotive Final Year Apprentice of the Year; sponsored by Webster Trucks – Cole Cleaves
• Construction Final Year Apprentice of the Year; sponsored by MEAD CON Building & Civil Contractors – Benjamin Ling
• Electrotechnology Final Year Apprentice of the Year; sponsored by Middy’s Electrical – Bianca Eberle
• Metals Final Year Apprentice of the Year; sponsored by Precision Tools & Welding Supply Centre and TasWeld – Cameron Hilfenhaus
• Plumbing Final Year Apprentice of the Year; sponsored by Reece – Marty Sheehan

North Region

• Pre-Apprenticeship Learner of the Year; sponsored by TasTAFE – Johanna Granados
• Overall First Year Apprentice; sponsored by KEEN Partners – Wade Howlett
• Overall Second Year Apprentice; sponsored by Middy’s Electrical – Yufei Wang
• Overall Third Year Apprentice; sponsored by Hair & Beauty Warehouse – Bronte Holland
• Outstanding Training Commitment - Allied Trades Apprentice; sponsored by TasTAFE – Luke Reid
• Outstanding Training Commitment - Automotive Apprentice; sponsored by Kincrome – Cameron Duffy
• Outstanding Training Commitment - Construction Apprentice; sponsored by Timberlink Australia – Chris Bott
• Outstanding Training Commitment - Electrotechnology Apprentice; sponsored by AWM Electrical Launceston – Jason Mizzi
• Outstanding Training Commitment - Metals Apprentice; sponsored by Tasmanian Minerals, Manufacturing & Energy Council – Adam Hingston
• Outstanding Training Commitment - Plumbing Apprentice; sponsored by Reece – Jake Edmunds
• Female Trade Learner of the Year; sponsored by Apprenticeship Support Australia – Salla McCausland
• First Nations Learner of the Year; sponsored by Timberlink Australia – Jacob Maher-Maynard
• Allied Trades Final Year Apprentice of the Year; sponsored by Master Builders Tasmania – Kyran Speed
• Automotive Final Year Apprentice of the Year; sponsored by Webster Trucks – Sam Stedman
• Construction Final Year Apprentice of the Year; sponsored by Work & Training – Callum Ackers
• Electrotechnology Final Year Apprentice of the Year; sponsored by AWM Electrical Launceston – Vincent Bell
• Metals Final Year Apprentice of the Year; sponsored by SPW Group – Jackson Challis
• Plumbing Final Year Apprentice of the Year; sponsored by Reece – Kyle Redmond

South Region

• Pre-Apprenticeship Learner of the Year; sponsored by Master Plumbers Association of Tasmania – Tae Evans
• Overall First Year Apprentice; sponsored by Future Energy Skills – Jacob Stanway
• Overall Second Year Apprentice; sponsored by KEEN Partners – William Thornbury
• Overall Third Year Apprentice; sponsored by Tools & Associated Sales Pty Ltd – Connor O'Neill
• Outstanding Training Commitment - Allied Trades Apprentice; sponsored by Master Builders Tasmania – Blake Hope
• Outstanding Training Commitment - Automotive Apprentice; sponsored by Kincrome – William Thornbury
• Outstanding Training Commitment - Construction Apprentice; sponsored by Clennett’s Mitre 10 – Jesse Reeves
• Outstanding Training Commitment - Electrotechnology Apprentice; sponsored by Middy’s Electrical – Madeline Whatley
• Outstanding Training Commitment - Metals Apprentice; sponsored by Tasmanian Minerals, Manufacturing & Energy Council – Jack Sheehan
• Outstanding Training Commitment - Plumbing Apprentice; sponsored by Reece – Sarah Radford
• Female Trade Learner of the Year; sponsored by Apprenticeship Support Australia – Ebony Prasad
• First Nations Learner of the Year; sponsored by Fulton Hogan – Harry Brereton
• Automotive Final Year Apprentice of the Year; sponsored by Webster Trucks – Hamish Yeomans
• Construction Final Year Apprentice of the Year; sponsored by Total Tools Hobart & Kingston – Caleb Verdouw
• Electrotechnology Final Year Apprentice of the Year; sponsored by Middy’s Electrical – Shan Denny
• Metals Final Year Apprentice of the Year; sponsored by BlueScope Distribution – Ethan Nichols
• Plumbing Final Year Apprentice of the Year; sponsored by Reece – Angus Clapham

Congratulations to all our winners for 2025 – we’re looking forward to following your successes in the years to come.

We’re also looking forward to celebrating   with a new group of outstanding TasTAFE learners when the Trade Excellence Awards return in 2026!

Check out the photo galleries from this year’s TasTAFE Trade Excellence Awards.

Top: North-West Region winners at the Trade Excellence Awards celebration in Burnie.
Bottom: Learners, staff, Board Members, sponsors, employers, friends and families celebrate around the state at the 2025 TasTAFE Trade Excellence Awards.