We’re thrilled to announce that NECA Education & Careers is boasting a total of 14 finalists across eight categories in the 2025 AEN Awards!
As a Group Training Organisation dedicated to the electrical industry, this recognition reflects our unwavering commitment to providing exceptional training that truly empowers our apprentices and trainees to shine. Let’s look forward to celebrating their success together!
We’re taking a look at each of the categories and celebrating the qualities that have led to the nominations.
Apprentice of the Year
This category celebrates outstanding apprentices in all disciplines. NECA E&C is represented by Elizabeth de Jong, Jasmine Cooke, and Shanel Camilleri. Elizabeth left the hospitality industry after becoming a mother and became an electrical apprentice. ‘I set myself a clear goal to change my career, become qualified in my chosen career and to continue to be a powerful example for my daughter and the future women of our workforce.’ Elizabeth said.
Jasmine is a motivated, compassionate, driven, and attentive person who loves to learn. She enjoys the physical aspect of the trade and shares her work to encourage others to pursue it as well.
Despite being underestimated and not treated equally, Shanel overcame gender-based prejudices about being a woman in electrical engineering. She attributes this to being proactive, saying, ‘I look for the next task rather than waiting for instructions. This has helped me build strong relationships and avoid being sidelined.’
Trainee of the Year
Trainee of the Year nominees include Ella Underwood and Jesse Purcell-Tamihana. Ella completed a Certificate III in Business through the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing in the YES (Youth Employment Scheme) program, and she secured an ongoing position in the department. Her commitment to learning and drive to succeed make her another strong candidate for the award.
Jesse went from strength to strength after beginning his traineeship with a Certificate III in Telecommunications with SKS Technologies. His strong work ethic and eagerness impressed his host, and he continued with them while progressing to a Certificate IV in Telecommunications.
Women in Trades
Elizabeth de Jong is also nominated for the Women in Trades Award, as is Courtney (CJ) Luca. CJ was part of NECA E&C’s Women and Their Trades (WaTT) program, which was created to address the gender imbalance in the electrical trade by providing opportunities for employment and career development. CJ is a fourth-year apprentice who appreciates the support afforded by programs like WaTT and the WIMDOI (Women in Male-Dominated Industries) conference as avenues to connect with female and non-binary peers and mentors. ‘New experiences with Tier 1 electrical companies have shown me how culture can be very quickly changed with progressive hiring policies, diversity and inclusion training for all staff. As the end date of my apprenticeship approaches, I cannot wait to be in a position to influence how onsite culture is shaped for the future directly.’ CJ said.
Disability Achievement
Another multiple-award nominee is Ella Underwood, who is also up for the Disability Achievement award. Although she worked in retail and hospitality, Ella’s goal was to pursue a career in business administration, and her ability to adapt and turn challenges into strengths has enabled her to excel throughout the traineeship and beyond.
Overcoming Adversity
Jesse Purcell-Tamihana is also nominated again, this time for Overcoming Adversity, in good company with Eman Kashif. Completing a traineeship helped Jesse overcome personal challenges while he remained focused on building a career that aligned with his passion for telecommunications.
Eman was awarded Trainee of the Year at the 2024 NECA Education & Careers Awards earlier this year. Like Jesse, she secured an ongoing role with her traineeship host. Eman relocated to Australia from Pakistan and began building her career in a completely new environment. She secured a YES traineeship with the Department of Justice and Community Safety, where she soon thrived and made meaningful contributions, which she continues to do.
Stop Taking a Risk (STAR) Award
Prada Byrne and Shanel Camilleri exemplify NECA E&C’s commitment to safety with their status as finalists for this award, which recognises apprentices for their contribution to making their workplaces safer. Prada was another WaTT program participant who began her career in a school-based apprenticeship before leaving high school early to pursue her apprenticeship at the age of 16. ‘After falling in love with the trade, I had realised that I had gained my confidence back, maturity, strength, and grown as an individual,’ Prada said. She values having a positive approach to safety for herself and others. She also participated in the nominated Leading Mates training, which she found valuable and applicable to her daily work.
Shanel regards creating safe work environments and employing safe work practices as among the most important skills she has developed over the course of her apprenticeship and credits her background in sport and personal training with establishing discipline that has served her well.
Apprentice Training Provider of the Year
NECA E&C is a finalist for the inaugural award from AEN, recognising Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) that are innovative and are making an impact on apprentice vocational education and training. As with being a finalist for Large Training Provider of the Year at the Victorian Training Awards, the recognition is appreciated, given the dedication of the whole NECA E&C team to excellence in off-the-job training for apprentices as well as qualified electricians.
GTO Service Excellence – Program
The NECA E&C Leading Mates training program has given us a spot as a finalist for the GTO Service Excellence – Program category. Leading Mates was designed to help electrical apprentices transition into leadership roles, and a nomination centered on the training recently led to NECA E&C winning the Employer Award for Apprenticeship Development at the Victorian Training Awards. Women employed by NECA E&C as electrical apprentices were invited to attend a two-day skills development course at our Dandenong campus. It featured interactive learning and networking sessions, guest speakers, and solutions-focused resources. The training was created in partnership with Learning Republic and funded by the Office for Women, and coached participants in skills such as conflict management, relationship building, and providing feedback. The response from the apprentices was positive and the course is available to anyone who is stepping up from an entry-level role in the industry. AEN have also recognised the value of the program.
The breadth of nominations at this year’s AEN Awards is a testament to the impact NECA Education & Careers has in many areas of vocational training across apprenticeships and traineeships, both as a business and in supporting individuals to career success and being spokespeople for vocational education.
We’re excited for all the nominees, and can’t wait to see the outcome on November 19th.