Zeal Futures Excellence Awards.

Jan commenced his Mechanical Engineering apprenticeship in 2019 after completing a Light Vehicle apprenticeship and wanting to further his studies. Throughout his apprenticeship, his passion was clear, and Jan was presented with opportunities at Origin to step into higher acting secondments, working across Maintenance Coordination, Planning and Scheduling. Jan was accepted into the Todays Skills Tomorrows Leaders program and the Zeal Futures Emerging Leaders Program, which he successfully completed, gaining a statement of attainment in Leadership & Management.

During high school, Luke displayed a high level of mathematical aptitude and decided to pursue an electrical trade career, undertaking a Certificate II in Electrotechnology. Luke secured an electrical apprenticeship with Zeal Futures, hosted to Manildra Group in 2020, and has shown a strong work ethic and aptitude throughout his training, expanding his skills both professionally and personally.

Originally from a trade background, Sarkees decided he wanted a career change and undertook a Cert IV Information Technology traineeship, hosted to the NSW Premier’s Department as part of the NSW Government IT Traineeship program. Sarkees demonstrated outstanding on-the-job performance and contributed to a number of key projects throughout his traineeship, working above expectations for a trainee. This allowed Sarkees to complete his traineeship early and gain an ongoing role with his host employer.

Mackenzi completed both a Certificate III and Certificate IV in Business Administration traineeships with Zeal Futures and Sutherland Shire Council. Mackenzi has been an outstanding trainee, consistently showing a strong commitment to furthering her skill through vocational education, having completed three qualifications. This combined with her exceptional on-the-job performance has seen her representing her department in meetings, receiving outstanding feedback from her host employer, and being named Trainee of the Month.

Emily commenced her traineeship with Service NSW Wellington after working in a contracted position at Service NSW Dubbo in April 2023. Emily's positive attitude and passion for community and customer service has stood out throughout her traineeship, going above and beyond to work with the Wellington community to educate them on the services available to them. Emily has consistently been dedicated to her RTO studies, allowing her to complete ahead of schedule.

Rachael completed a Mechanical apprenticeship with Zeal Futures and South32. Rachael's skill level and passion for the trade saw her awarded the Stan Gilroy Memorial prize for Stage 1 Fitting Machining at TAFE NSW, and was also the recipient of the Apprentice Employment Network Woman in Non-Traditional Trade award in 2023. Rachael has combined her apprenticeship with a successful NRLW career, completing her apprenticeship early to accept a contract with the Parramatta Eels.

Since commencing her school-based traineeship, Emma-Jane has totally transformed from a reserved girl into a confident, independent young lady with a strong work ethic and dedication to her studies. Emma is completing a Certificate II in Conservation and Ecosystem Management, and has worked at a much higher level than what would be expected for a trainee, even interviewing for the local paper and radio stations about her experience and achievements.

After a 23-year career in hospitality, Tanya decided she wanted a change and undertook a Certificate III in Business Administration traineeship. Tanya was a standout trainee from the start and displayed outstanding determination and resilience throughout her traineeship, persevering through many personal challenges along the way. Tanya’s strong work ethic, positive attitude and resilience have landed her with ongoing employment with Shoalhaven Water after completing her traineeship.

Kieran Moss commenced his Certificate III in Engineering – Mechanical Trade in 2022 through an apprenticeship with Zeal Futures and Newcastle Coal Infrastructure Group. Kieran excelled throughout his time in the Work Readiness Program, presenting strong attention to detail, which can be seen in the quality of his work. Kieran takes great care with each project he works on and consistently produces excellent work.

Ashlee completed a Certificate III in Beauty Services before continuing her studies through a Diploma in Beauty Therapy, which she completed in December 2023. Throughout her training, Ashlee approached each session with commitment and determination to achieve her goals. Since completing, Ashlee has gained full-time employment in the beauty industry and continues to develop in her career.

Ella commenced her Certificate III in Business as part of her traineeship with Alfabs Administration in May 2023. With previous experience in a similar role, Ella has displayed a very strong work ethic and positive attitude towards her studies, consistently achieving great results. She has received excellent feedback from her colleagues and managers and has come a long way in terms of her confidence, communication, and office skills.

Jake commenced his Sports Turf Management apprenticeship with Lynwood Country Club in 2022 after completing casual work experience in the field. Despite being just 15 years old when he started his apprenticeship, Jake always got himself to work and never missed a day, consistently being the first to arrive and the last to leave. Jake continues to develop his skills in the trade and receives outstanding feedback from his host employer.

As a leading global provider of innovative steel materials, products, systems, and technologies, BlueScope provides a number of skills training and career opportunities for apprentices and staff. For more than 15 years, BlueScope has partnered with Zeal Futures to deliver an apprenticeship program at the Port Kembla steelworks – the largest steel production facility in Australia. During this time, we have seen almost 500 apprentices start their careers at BlueScope, with over 100 placements currently engaged in the Illawarra region.

Centennial is an Australian mining company supplying domestic and export markets. Its Lake Macquarie and Lithgow underground mining operations are currently host to more than 50 future mining professionals undertaking an apprenticeship or traineeship in vocations including Electrotechnology, Engineering Mechanical, and Warehousing. Since 2007, Centennial has hosted more than 200 Zeal Futures apprentices and trainees, some of whom are still employed in the business, highlighting opportunities for long-term career growth and stability. In that time, the quality of Centennial’s on-the-job training has helped produce many award winners.

For over 60 years, Borcat Trailers has been a leader in the manufacturing of high quality trainer and tipper equipment in Australia. The team at Borcat are passionate about providing quality apprenticeship pathways, having hosted 16 apprentices since 2021 in vocations including Vehicle Body Building, Engineering Fabrication, and Vehicle Spray Painting. Apprentices are provided with opportunities to strengthen their skills in all areas of the workshop, equipping them for successful careers.

The NSW Department of Planning and Environment partnered with Zeal Futures in 2023 to deliver an Aboriginal School-Based Traineeship Program designed to introduce students to opportunities within Government departments across the state. Over 20 trainees were placed with host departments, including National Parks and Wildlife Services, Office of Secretary, Biodiversity Conservation Science, and more. This industry partnership has provided valuable employment and training opportunities for Aboriginal students across NSW, including in regional and remote locations.

Peabody is a leading global coal supplier with a strong focus on health and safety as a way of life. Since 2005, Peabody have employed over 40 Zeal Futures apprentices at their Metropolitan mine, and have demonstrated outstanding commitment to creating a safe workplace and supporting injured employees. Peabody maintains comprehensive work health and safety management systems and provides extensive training and support for apprentices to ensure they are equipped to do their work and get home safely. The Metropolitan mine has been awarded for safety innovation by Peabody Global for 3 years in a row, and in 2023 achieved 2000 days of no recordable injuries.

Chelsea is a dedicated team player and collaborator who consistently demonstrates excellence in her role and embodies Zeal Futures values. Despite significant changes over the last 12 months, Chelsea has maintained a positive and solution-oriented approach to her work, exceeding expectations in various projects. In recognition of her performance, Chelsea accepted a promotion to the role of Compliance & Quality Team Leader and has continued to excel in this role, prioritising the wellbeing and development of her team and creating a positive work environment.

VERTO is an award-winning, not-for-profit organisation assisting businesses and individuals with all their apprenticeship, employment and training needs.

Our expertise covers a range of areas including Aboriginal services, Australian apprenticeships services, disability services, employment services and vocational training to help businesses, individuals and local industry to thrive.

Our mission is to positively impact the lives of individuals and communities and we’ve built a track record of exemplary customer service over 40 years. You'll find the VERTO team in more than 65 locations across New South Wales.

Origin is Australia’s leading integrated energy company with interests that span gas exploration and production, energy retailing and power generation including a growing portfolio of large-scale renewable and energy storage projects. We are proud to have employed over 50 apprentices at Eraring since 2013, and to have 17 training currently as well as three trainees. Recruiting outstanding talent strengthens our ability to get energy right, and to help build a skilled future workforce to support Australia’s growing energy industry.

The NSW Minerals Council is the leading industry association representing the state’s minerals industry, providing a united voice for our members. We work closely with governments, industry groups, and business and community leaders, so that our member companies can continue to operate as part of a strong, responsible, and sustainable mining industry in NSW.

Whitehaven Coal is the leading Australian producer of premium-quality coal. We are the dominant player in the Gunnedah Coal Basin of NSW and have development assets underway nearby, and in Queensland. We are proudly local, and around 75% of our 2,500-strong workforce lives in the local communities around our mine sites. We believe in equality, diversity and inclusion, and offer a range of benefits for our people including incentive plans and industry-leading parental leave.

Glencore is one of Australia’s largest coal producers. We operate a mixture of open cut and underground coal mines in New South Wales and Queensland, providing work for about 10,000 people across 15 operations.

Our Australian coal business, headquartered in the Hunter Valley, managed the production of 98 million tonnes of saleable thermal and coking coal in 2023.

We are also proud to have one of the coal industry’s largest apprenticeship programs with more than 250 apprentices.

Howden Australia, a division of the renowned Howden Group founded in 1854 in Scotland, specialises in engineered heavy-duty and custom-made industrial fans, heat exchangers, and compressors. Established in Australia in 1948, with facilities in Sydney, Brisbane, Cardiff, and Perth, it serves diverse sectors like power generation, petrochemicals, and mining across Australia, New Zealand and Melanesia . Acquired by Chart Industries in 2023, Howden is now part of a global organisation offering leading-edge technologies in gas storage, transport, capture, and liquefaction, ensuring continued innovation and excellence in serving industries worldwide.

The Mutual Bank is based in East Maitland and has been helping Hunter people thrive since 1888.

As the name suggests, the bank is a mutual and is owned by its Members. That means it puts people before profit by investing in products and services for Members and supporting your local community.

The Mutual Bank offers choice and convenience for your banking with innovative digital solutions and award-winning products and customer service.

Peabody is a leading coal producer, providing essential products for the production of affordable, reliable energy and steel. Our commitment to sustainability underpins everything we do and shapes our strategy for the future. We are focused on three core portfolios—seaborne thermal, seaborne met and U.S. thermal.

Our seaborne thermal segment is well positioned to serve continued strong demand from growing Asia Pacific economies and is supported by our high-quality, low-cost mines in Australia. Our seaborne met segment provides an essential ingredient for steelmaking to customers in Asia and Europe. The U.S. thermal segment benefits from our low-cost operations and serves as a foundation for the U.S. energy grid now and in the future.

PGSR is a locally owned subsidiary with a workforce of over 500 highly skilled professionals, equipped with a state-of-the-art custom workshop and a comprehensive inventory of specialised tools. Focused on delivering solutions, we provide adaptable options tailored to meet the unique needs of our customers. A one-stop-shop covering workshop operations, construction, labour & specialised tooling. precision works on turbines and generators for steam, gas & hydro plant, windfarm on-site and off-site maintenance and refurbishment, defence fuel storage maintenance, shutdowns and outage works, electrical installations, and maintaining and servicing of generation assets & HV switchyards.