Parliamentary Secretary for Education Gareth Ward MP has today announced that local students have been recognised at the 28th annual TAFE NSW Gili Awards, a celebration of the achievements of Aboriginal students, teachers and employees, at a ceremony hosted by the Governor of NSW in Sydney.

Mr Ward has congratulated TAFE NSW Nowra student Winyinnar Williams who was named Trainee of the Year, and Kate Williams for her Achievement Award.

“Gili is an Eora word that means ‘to shine’ and this year’s recipients have all embraced the spirit of these awards through their hard work, talent and ambition,” he said.

“The Gili Award recipients are a testament to the real and significant change that training provided by TAFE NSW brings to the lives of Aboriginal people across NSW and, most importantly, acknowledge the individual commitment and capability of each award winner.

“Providing pathways for Aboriginal students into further study and satisfying careers bring benefits to many regional areas and I look forward to following the progress of Winyinnar, Kate and other award winners as they continue their journeys through TAFE,” Mr Ward said.

The NSW Minister for TAFE Adam Marshall said he was proud to acknowledge the achievements of TAFE NSW students and teachers, as well as the communities and industries involved in education and training for Aboriginal students.

“The Gili Awards demonstrate the power of vocational education and training to provide life-changing pathways to sustainable employment or further study for Aboriginal people,” Mr Marshall said.

“TAFE NSW is to be congratulated for their continuous efforts in creating programs to engage students and build capability within Aboriginal communities across the State.”