Photo: tasc.sa.gov.au

The annual awards – now in their 62nd year – saw the inaugural presentation of the Lynne Kosky Memorial Award, which recognises lifetime achievement in the promotion of educational excellence in vocational education and training in Victoria.

Bruce Mackenzie was named as the first ever winner of the Lynne Kosky Memorial Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Members of the public had the chance to vote in the Community Choice Award, now in its second year, choosing apprentice Danielle Kazi-Shedden, who trained at Chisholm Institute, as this year’s winner.

Other winners include Bendigo Senior Secondary College, which was awarded the Victorian VET in Schools Excellence Award and Box Hill Institute, which was named Victorian Large Training Provider of the Year.

This year’s winners shared in more than $100,000 in professional development grants and many will have the opportunity to represent Victoria at the 2016 Australian Training Awards in Darwin.

This week the Andrews Labor Government launched Victoria’s new approach to training and TAFE, Skills First.

Skills First guarantees funding to secure the future of TAFE and quality training – making sure Victorians have access to real training for real jobs.

Information on Skills First can be found on the website, www.skillsfirst.vic.gov.au