The North Queensland Toyota Cowboys training and employment program Dream, Believe, Achieve has been named Community Training Initiative of the Year at the North Queensland regional finals of the Queensland Training Awards.
The program has successfully helped hundreds of North Queenslanders gain industry-recognised qualifications and find long-term employment through in-class training, one-on-one mentoring and work experience placements with industry partners.
It’s the second time that Dream, Believe, Achieve has won the prestigious award and is now in the running for a state award as part of the Queensland Training Awards Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
The award was announced on Friday night via a virtual awards ceremony.
RECOGNITION FOR CONSISTENT RESULTS
Cowboys Chief Community and Government Relations Officer Fiona Pelling said the award is testament to the hard work of everyone involved in the program.
“This is an award that reflects the efforts of our students, industry partners, staff and volunteers, despite the challenges of the past 18 months,” she said.
“It shows that no matter the circumstances, the program is capable of helping students obtain meaningful qualifications and secure ongoing paid employment that sets them up for a better future.
“Many of our graduates overcome significant personal challenges to gain their qualifications so it’s really heart-warming that our program can help our students achieve their goals.”
The program beat two other Townsville-based finalists to snag the award.
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS KEY TO SUCCESS
Dream, Believe, Achieve’s list of industry partners has grown to include 13 local organisations and businesses who provide valuable work experience placements and opportunities for students to learn on the job.
Ms Pelling said the commitment of these partners is key to the program’s success.
“Our partners are enabling students to put their training into action and providing life-changing employment opportunities,” she said.
“We thank them for their ongoing commitment and contribution to our program and are proud to share this award win with them.”
The program delivered 69 graduates in 2018 and 80 graduates in 2019 across six intakes, while in a COVID-disrupted 2020 the program delivered 47 graduates.
ABOUT THE AWARDS
Now in its 60th year, the Queensland Training Awards celebrate top training achievers across 14 categories, recognising achievements by organisations and individuals in vocational education and training.
Nominees compete at a regional level before winners go on to compete for a coveted award at the state finals.
A gala dinner will be held in September to celebrate the efforts of regional winners, including the announcement of the state winner of the Community Training Initiative of the Year.
HOW YOU CAN BE OUR NEXT SUCCESS STORY
Dream, Believe, Achieve is supported and funded by the Queensland Government through the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative.
Prospective students interested in studying with the award-winning program can still register for the 20 September intake of the Certificate III in Hospitality or next year's intake of the Certificate III in Retail.
Graduates will be work-ready with a responsible service of alcohol (RSA) certificate, responsible gambling services (RSG) certificate and food safety certificate among their new credentials.
For more information or to register for the program, visit cowboys.com.au/DBA
