In 2023, Brendan Reid won the Excellence in Language, Literacy and Numeracy Practice Award at the Australian Training Awards. We sat down with Brendan to find out how his involvement in the Australian Training Awards has impacted him and his career. Beyond the sheer compliment of being recognised for his effort and passion, he had a lot to say!
Being nominated for an Australian Training Award was “pretty awesome,” according to Brendan, who was so surprised when he discovered someone had nominated him in 2023 that you could have “knocked [him] down with a feather!”
From nominee to finalist
The journey from nominee to finalist takes a good part of the year, with behind-the-scenes quality and assurance checks, judging, and of course, the award announcements. After nominations close for the Australian Training Awards, a panel of judges shortlist the nominations based on set criteria. The next step is for finalists to meet with a panel of judges, where they deliver a presentation and participate in an interview. Brendan found the thorough assessment process beneficial, providing him the opportunity to look back on his career and be reminded that what he does is special and makes a difference in people’s lives.
“Having to reflect on all the experiences and all the things you’ve been involved with and all you’ve done, is a validating experience,” Brendan said.
After being announced as a finalist, Brendan attended training and networking opportunities to prepare him for his role as a VET ambassador in the lead up to the gala awards presentation in November 2023. Brendan admitted he didn’t fully realise the scale of the Australian Training Awards.
“I never realised the scope of the actual Awards, what’s involved in it, how important and how much of a valued function it is. I was just blown away. I thought, this is a big deal… this is something special.”
From winner to VET Ambassador
Participating in the Australian Training Awards was only the beginning for Brendan. All finalists are invited to join the Australian VET Alumni, a national community of VET graduates, registered training organisations, VET practitioners and businesses who have achieved excellence in their fields.
Brendan knows the value of VET, having been involved in the sector for over 17 years, and recognises how being a part of the Australian VET Alumni will help him “push the cause forward” in continuing to promote VET.
Brendan sees the role of a VET Ambassador is to “share and to promote and to actually help build VET”. The chance to make connections with other VET graduates and practitioners during the Australian Training Awards and joining the VET Alumni was a “really terrific opportunity.”
“Promoting VET is important not just to students, but also to employers and to industry,” Brendan said.
“VET is giving people a chance to build skills and knowledge, to go into the workplace and make a difference.”
“The Alumni is about gathering people together to work as a team, to make sure people understand what’s possible.”
Why nominate for the Australian Training Awards?
Nominating for the Australian Training Awards is an opportunity to be recognised for your achievements and increase your profile nationally. According to Brendan, the value of the Australian Training Awards is all about promotion and recognition.
“It’s about putting it out there that VET is producing highly skilled people,” Brendan said.
“I think the Australian Training Awards is about saying, we are producing high quality people, and we are also staffed by high quality people.”
“Showcasing that is important…it brings us forth into the light and lets people be known and acknowledged for their accomplishments.”
Brendan’s advice, “I would just say, have a go!”
Watch Brendan’s video as he discusses the benefits of nominating for the Australian Training Awards and becoming a VET Ambassador as part of the Australian VET Alumni.
Nominations for direct entry categories in the 2024 Australian Training Awards close at 11.59pm AEST on Wednesday 12 June 2024.