Williamstown centre scores training awards

Williamstown Community and Education Centre was named the Community Training Provider of the Year in the 2021 Victorian Training Awards

Benjamin Millar

Williamstown Community and Education Centre’s important social role has been recognized in the 2021 Victorian Training Awards.

The Centre was named the Community Training Provider of the Year in recognition of its community education and employment programs across five sites in Melbourne’s western suburbs.

Judges noted that the organisation prides itself on having increased the number and range of services on offer to the diverse community within the area in recent years.

“It provides traditional services such as digital literacy training and English Language programs for culturally and linguistically diverse learners, while also recently introducing innovative classes in yoga, meditation, acting and music,” the award noted.

The 67th Victorian Training Awards recognised the state’s best apprentices, students, teachers, trainers and employers.

Winners were chosen across six award categories for individuals, four for employers and four for training organizations, as well as the Industry Collaboration Award.

Training and Skills minister Gayle Tierney said the contribution of the winners of this year’s Victorian Training Awards to the community is “incredible”.

“The Victorian skills and training sector has shown great strength through the challenges of the pandemic – and the Victorian Training Awards is a great acknowledgment of our world-class industry.”

AMES Australia chief executive Catherine Scarth was awarded the Lynne Kosky Memorial Award for Lifetime Achievement for her work providing world-class programs that help newly arrived refugees, asylum seekers and migrants start a happy and healthy life in Australia.

This year’s awards received the highest number of nominations in more than a decade.

Award recipients received $5000 prize money and a selection will have the opportunity to represent Victoria at the Australian Training Awards in November.