The Australian Training Awards are the peak, national awards for vocational education and training, recognising innovation and excellence in the training sector.
The Australian Training Awards are the culmination of the state and territory awards with winners from each state and territory competing in the national finals.
This year the Australian Training Awards were held in Darwin on 20 November 2008.
Eleven award categories are presented at the Australian Training Awards including six organisational categories:
- Employer of the Year
- Prime Minister’s Small Business of the Year
- Australian Training Initiative
- VET in Schools
- Large Training Provider of the Year
- Small Training Provider of the Year
and five student categories:
- Australian Apprentice of the Year
- Australian Apprentice (Trainee) of the Year
- Stella Axarlis Australian School-based Apprentice of the Year
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year; and
- Vocational Student of the Year.
The event included Industry Award presentations and three additional business awards:
- The Australian Flexible Learning Framework sponsored Innovative Business Award, which recognises the way in which an organisation has successfully demonstrated excellence in the use of information and communication technology in the delivery of education and training programs to clients and workforce employees. All shortlisted Australian Training Awards organisational finalists were eligible for this award.
- The Trades and Skills Teacher of the Year Award, sponsored by The Institute for Trade Skills Excellence. The Institute for Trade Skills Excellence promotes and advances learning, teaching and training in Australian trades education and elevates the status of traditional trades and trades education as a career choice.
- The inaugural VET Researcher of the Year Award, sponsored by The National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER). NCVER is Australia’s leading research and statistical organisation in vocational education and training (VET). The award recognises the outstanding contribution of a researcher in the field of vocational education and training.