Cookery student wins Rotary Club of Warrnambool East Apprentice Award

The award, which is given to a first-year apprentice from South West TAFE, was presented to Chloe at Rotary’s annual dinner last night.  

She was one of nine students to be nominated by their teachers for excellence in their trades and it was her passion and commitment to her studies and work that made her stand out as the winner.

Chloe works at Waacks Bakery in Stawell and Ararat and is looking forward to where her career in the food industry can take her.

She one day aspires to travel across Australia and the world cooking and trying the food from different cultures to incorporate into her own style of cooking.

She said she would love to own her own business and give other people employment opportunities.

Runners-up awards went to fabrication engineering apprentice Stuart De Bie, cabinet making apprentice Ciaran Lamond-Hallet and parks and gardens apprentice Millie Spence.

Encouragement awards were presented to electrical apprentice Hayden Annett, carpentry apprentice Bradley Bull, baking apprentice Stephanie Staub, mechanical engineering apprentice Tully Massey-Slee and plumbing apprentice Luke Purcell.

To select a winner, the nine students were interviewed by the Rotary club and South West TAFE staff members.

The award was judged on how students were progressing in their course, their willingness to learn, how they positively represented their trade and how they could be encouraged to continue their studies.

The judging panel was impressed by all students and their focus on creating successful careers for themselves.

Rotary’s Youth and Vocation director Wendy Mitchem said all the candidates showed incredible enthusiasm in their trades and had bright futures ahead of them.

She said it was wonderful to see the apprentices from all different backgrounds, all succeeding in their chosen fields.

The Rotary Club of Warrnambool East has offered this award for many years and continues to provide ongoing support to training apprentices in the region.

South West TAFE CEO Mark Fidge said the organisation was grateful for the partnership with Rotary in supporting apprentices.

“It’s great to have the ongoing support of the Rotary Club of Warrnambool East and the encouragement this award gives to our first-year apprentices is invaluable,” he said.