Each award winner receives a $5,000 - this is divided into $3,000 personal spending money, with the remaining $2,000 to be spent on a professional development project which gives back to both industry and students.

Mr Brian Wexham, CEO of The Institute of Trade Skills Excellence believes firmly in the value and importance of Trades and Skills Teacher Awards and explains the process behind its development.

“This award acknowledges leadership in developing tomorrow’s trades and skills professionals. It was established to give deserving teachers in the trades and skills arena the opportunity to implement professional developmental projects, that otherwise would not have been possible without funding.

“The awards also demonstrate a commitment to excellence providing quality outcomes for industry and importantly, the students.”

Pam Christie TAFE NSW-Sydney Institute Director believes the reason that one of the teachers from her institute was selected is due to their passion for training and the passion for the industry they operate in.

“Our winner is passionate about his/her industry and is equally passionate about training. He/she maintains high standards and is always on the lookout to promote and share the great outcomes his/her students achieve. He/she exemplifies what is best in a VET teacher and has helped to enhance the reputation of TAFE NSW – Sydney Institute both nationally and globally”.

 

These qualities are abundantly represented in all the award winners. All fourteen winners have had to satisfy particularly stringent criteria, which include demonstrating excellence and innovation in serving industry and delivering excellence and innovation to inspire learners.

Brian Wexham further states that the Trades and Skills Teacher of the Year Award recognises teachers who dedicate their lives to ensuring tomorrow’s trades and skills people are armed with the very best skills through their innovative teaching methods.

 

“The Trades and Skills Teacher of the Year Award derives its success from identifying teachers who are able to move beyond delivering only to curriculum and who meet industry standards to ensure Australia continues to turn out the most highly skilled men and women,” said Mr Wexham.

Captains of industry and members of the Industry Skills Councils will present the awards to the 2008 winners.

The overall 2008 Trades and Skills Teacher of the Year Award winner will be presented with their award at the Australian Training Awards on the 20th November in Darwin.

The 2007 Australian Trades and Skills Teacher of the Year was Marion Fitzpatrick from Northern Sydney TAFE in Ryde New South Wales, who was awarded for her commitment to developing and improving the quality of teaching in the Cookery field.

“Since being named the Australian Trades and Skills Teacher of the Year I have had the unique

opportunity of participating in the recent 2020 Summit and contributing my views on how education and skills development might look by the year 2020.

“Winning the Australian Trades and Skills Teacher of the Year has enabled me to further my skills and development in the Hospitality Industry,” Ms Fitzpatrick said.

Gary Sewell was named the 2007 Bakery Trade Teacher of the Year. Gary used his prize money to further develop his learning program to train bakers by distance which has now been implemented by a number of top baking franchises across the country including Bakers Delight and Tip Top. Gary said that he would never have been able to launch such a program if The Institute hadn’t awarded him Bakery Trade Teacher of the Year.

“There’s no doubt about it, the $5,000 project money received from The Institute was the impetus for this project...with the $5,000 we ran pilot classes, were able to set in place the resources and framework to then roll out the Fast Track Apprenticeship Project.

Gary used the prize money from The Australian Trades and Skills Teacher of the Year Awards to further develop his project and apply for a $50,000 grant from the Federal Government.

"Without the prize money from The Institute for Trade Skills Excellence we wouldn’t have been able to approach the Government for Federal funding for the program,” Mr Sewell said.

The Institute for Trade Skills Excellence promotes the importance of trades and skills and recognises excellence in trades and skills education and training through:

• SkillsOne – an integrated platform of television programming, interactive website and media partnerships;

• the Star Rating Scheme, which awards high performing training organisations with gold star ratings; and

• the Trades and Skills Teaching Awards which recognise excellence in trades & skills education and training.