Valley trio shines in awards

TWO students and a vocational trainer from the Clarence Valley are among the finalists announced this week in the 2010 North Coast Regional Training Awards.

Ashley Phillips, Jenna Rose and Helen Robertson are expected to join about 250 people attending a gala presentation night at Coffs Harbour Ex-Services Club on July 2.

Ashley, who attends Grafton High School, is a finalist in the North Coast School Based Apprentice of the Year category. Ashley is studying Community Services – Aged Care Work at North Coast Institute of TAFE Grafton Campus while doing hands-on learning at Grafton Aged Care Home.

Jenna is in the running for the North Coast Vocational Student of the Year category. She is undertaking tertiary preparation studies at the North Coast Institute of TAFE Maclean campus.

Helen Robertson of NORTEC Maclean is one of three finalists in the North Coast VET Assessor of the Year category.

North Coast Regional Training Awards chair Chris Taylor congratulated the local achievers.

“They should be proud to be among the 26 finalists of the North Coast region's premier training awards,” he said.

“The nominations this year from in and around Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, Lismore and the Tweed were again of a high quality, ensuring the North Coast Region will again be well represented at the State and possibly Australian awards to be held later in 2010.”

The North Coast is one of 10 regional areas to host training awards in the next few weeks which are part of the 2010 NSW Training Awards. Regional award winners go on to compete at the state level. Five North Coast winners were state finalists in 2009.

The 2010 NSW Training Awards will be presented at a dinner on September 16 at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour.