After being in my new role for just one week it was really inspiring to see the talent and enthusiasm that students, teachers, employers and training organisations have for vocational education and training in this state.

I had the great pleasure of attending the 2011 NSW Training Awards hosted on 15 September by the Minister for Education, Adrian Piccoli.

Congratulations to all the winners and finalists. You have made us proud of your hard work, dedication and commitment.

These awards celebrate excellence and achievement and showcase the best that NSW has to offer, with finalists and winners drawn from a broad range of industry sectors all over NSW. 

As Managing Director of TAFE NSW, I was delighted to see TAFE associated with such a large number of finalists and winners – a fitting tribute to the outstanding job done by TAFE teachers. It was a wonderful achievement for Paul Callaghan and all the staff at the TAFE NSW New England Institute to win Large Training Provider of the Year. 

I understand this year set a record for award applications, with more than 1,000 entries received. This is testimony to the magnitude of achievements by our students and the skills and passion of our teachers.

I was especially impressed by the many finalists who generously share their knowledge and experiences to encourage younger students to commit to their training.

The NSW winners will now start preparing for the Australian Training Awards, to be presented in Brisbane in November. I wish you every success and I know you will be excellent ambassadors for NSW and outstanding representatives of our world-class training system.