Six young people who’ve started their careers at Logan City Council have been recognised for their accomplishments at the 16th annual Trainee and Apprentice Awards.
The awards celebrate Council staff who epitomise the organisation’s values while gaining a nationally-recognised qualification.
Mayor Darren Power said Council was proud to provide employment opportunities for local young people.
“We offer more than 20 traineeships and apprenticeships each year across Council’s diverse offering of programs and services,” Cr Power said.
“For many of these young people, it’s their first step into the workforce and the skills they gain can set them up for an incredibly successful future.”
Cr Power said this year’s cohort of trainees and apprentices had experienced circumstances very unusual to previous years.
“As Council staff adapted to working during a pandemic, so did our trainees and apprentices. As a result, they have developed an extra sense of resilience while also completing their qualifications,” he said.
“These people are the future leaders of our city, and demonstrate the great potential of young people in our community.”
Applications are now open for the next intake of traineeships and apprenticeships with Council.
Cr Power said successful candidates would benefit from learning and development opportunities and job-readiness training in addition to completing qualifications.
Positions are available across a wide range of areas including allied health, business, civil construction, animal management, engineering, events, libraries, sport and recreation, pest management, wastewater treatment and heavy vehicle mechanics.
For more information about how to apply, go to logan.qld.gov.au/careers/traineeships-and-apprenticeships
The winners of the 16th annual Logan City Council Trainee and Apprentice Awards are:
| Award | Winner | Qualification | Judges’ comments |
| Trainee of the Year | Isabella Robertson | Cert III in Events | Isabella is an excellent ambassador for the trainee and apprenticeship program. She has followed a traineeship pathway despite pressure to attend university from her school community. She consistently demonstrates enthusiasm and has an accomplished list of achievements. |
| Apprentice of the Year | Jai Storey | Cert III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology | Jai describes himself as energetic and happy, and that he is excited to go to work each day, which is reflected in his approach to work. He stood out for his humility and passion for learning. He has developed communication skills and confidence and demonstrates leadership. |
| Leadership | Tristan Davidson | Cert III in Business | Tristan’s work area closed to the public at the height of the pandemic, so he was able to use his passion for film and media to lead his team into new ways of working online. He describes his transition from trainee to “trainer” as the perfect storm that gave him unexpected opportunities. |
| Community First | Kimberley Barnes | Cert III in Sport and Recreation | Kimberley has a “yes I can” attitude to helping her team flourish. During the pandemic, some senior people were experiencing stress about signing into venues for contact tracing as they didn’t have mobile phones. Kimberley developed a register for regular visitors so they could still be part of their community. She has been recognised for her kindness, respect and gratitude. |
| Creative Excellence | Tia Van Veldhuizen | Cert IV in Marketing | Tia’s traineeship journey has been one of personal growth and excellence. The self-described introvert developed strong relationships with her team and was determined to strive for excellence. She has created more than 50 pieces of work and completed a significant part of her studies ahead of schedule. |
| School-based Trainee | Mark Cave | Cert II in Automotive Servicing | Mark demonstrates emotional intelligence and maturity beyond his years. The year 12 student has juggled exams and his traineeship, and has also helped first-year trainees enjoy extra responsibilities in their Council programs. He has a thirst to learn and a willingness to add value to Council’s traineeship program. |
