Qualification: Certificate III in Air-conditioning and Refrigeration
Host employer: Rio Tinto Alcan
Training provider: TAFE Queensland North
Group Training Organisation: Skill360 Australia

For eight years, Aaron Lobley was a degree qualified school teacher and vocational education trainer of a number of disciplines including industrial technology, mathematics, construction, engineering, design, graphics and manual arts.

In 2012 at age 35 and with a dream to become a fully qualified tradesman Aaron re-started his career as an Australian Apprentice with the aim of providing a secure future for his wife and three children.

Aaron excelled in his studies and completed his Australian Apprenticeship in air-conditioning and refrigeration with the support of Skill360 Australia in record time. At the conclusion of his training, Aaron was offered full time employment with his host employer, Rio Tinto Alcan as an Electrical Air-conditioning Maintainer.

Rewarded for his efforts, Aaron was awarded the Combined Trade Apprentice of the Year Award at the 2014 Western Cape Apprentice and Trainee Awards. The same year he was runner up to the Skill360 Mature Age Apprentice/Trainee of the Year Award. Committed to keeping up with training practices, Aaron recently upgraded his workplace training and assessment qualification to a Certificate IV.