Over 320 people attended the 18th Outstanding Graduating Apprentice Awards on Thursday 29 August. 36 Outstanding Apprentices were recognised across 22 Trades and 7 First Year Apprentices were awarded Encouragement Awards, these Encouragement Awards were in recognition of our talented women across 6 construction Trade.

Lauren Baseden was announced the overall winner of the ACT Regional Building and Construction Industry Training Council (CITC) Outstanding Graduating Apprentice at its major industry event at the Hellenic Club Olympus Room on Thursday the 29th August 2019.

Lauren joins Elissa Pirotta and Michele Tifan as the third woman to take out this prestigious Award. Lauren was also successful in winning the Outstanding Electrical Apprentice and the winner of Outstanding Woman in a Non-traditional trade. Congratulations Lauren. Her employers, 5 Star Electrical, have seen a number of their Apprentices recognised in the Electrical Trade at these Awards in previous years.

The Executive Director of the CITC, Mr Vince Ball, informed the audience of over 320 guests the closeness in selecting the winners. “He said that the closeness was not only across all the Trades but also in selecting the overall winner with only millimetres separating the Apprentices.

He also praised the determination and skills of our industry tradeswomen and thanked the employers who provided them with the opportunity to undertake an Apprenticeship.

He informed the audience that it was also clear at the interviews that all apprentices expressed their appreciation of the quality of training being provided by all ACT Registered Training organisations. He said that this says a lot about the quality of our Apprentices, the dedication and commitment by their employers and host Trainers as well as the overall quality of training that is currently being offered here in the ACT.