2026 Awards For Excellence Winners

The Apprentice Employment Network WA (AEN WA) Awards For Excellence, showcases the educational excellence achieved by our members’ very best apprentices and trainees and acknowledges the host and group training employers that support them.

On Friday, 23 October 2026, the Apprentice Employment Network WA (AEN WA) came together at Burswood on Swan to celebrate the 2026 Awards for Excellence. The Awards showcase the educational excellence achieved by our members’ very best apprentices and trainees, and acknowledge the host and group training employers who support them.

It was a terrific evening of celebration, networking and recognition. The stories shared by our finalists highlighted the remarkable journeys of WA’s apprentices and trainees, making it a memorable celebration of vocational excellence.

We were honoured to have the Hon. Sandra Carr MLC, Member for Geraldton, deliver the State Government address and help present the awards.

Thank you to Len Yarran for his Welcome to Country, which opened the evening.

Thank you to our MC, Fiona Cornelisse, for guiding us through the evening.

Thank you to the AEN WA Committee of Management (Stuart Diepeveen, Iain McDougall, Kerrie White, Nadene Carr and Amanda Dawes) for their work in hosting this award event.

Reaching the finals is a significant achievement, and every finalist should be proud of their dedication and hard work. Congratulations to:

Amy Buck, Bradley Oketch, Britteny Kereopa, Eoin Halley, Etienne Mason, Georgia Blackshaw, Hazel Grubb, Jade Shield, Kane Kingham, Kate Goggins, Kodi Butterfield, Mia Williams, Nita Dudley, Noah Cameron Brown, Ocean Jamieson, Ruben Morriss, Suraiya Williams and Zachary Martin.

2026 Apprentice of the Year
ETIENNE MASON
WPC employee

2026 Trainee of the Year
KATE GOGGINS
MEGT employee

2026 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Apprentice of the Year
SURAIYA WILLIAMS
SKILLHIRE WA

2026 Woman in Building & Construction Industry Apprentice of the Year
AMY BUCK
Directions Workforce Solutions employee

2026 Host Employer of the Year
E&M ELECTRICAL

GTO Partner – Directions Workforce Solutions

2026 School Based Apprentice of the Year Award
KODI BUTTERFIELD & SURAIYA WILLIAMS (JOINT WINNERS)
Kodi Butterfield with MEGT / Suraiya Williams with Skill Hire WA

Thank you to our sponsors and partners for your generosity and support of our awards event. Special thanks to AustralianSuper for their long-standing corporate sponsorship of our Network, and to the Construction Training Fund (CTF) for their valued support of the event. Your partnerships are very important to us and much appreciated by the Network.

The Construction Training Fund (CTF) provides funding and support to construction apprentices, workers and employers to help build a safe, skilled and sustainable construction industry in Western Australia. By investing in apprentice training, workforce development and initiatives that encourage broader participation across the sector, CTF helps create pathways for more Western Australians to pursue rewarding careers in construction. That’s why CTF is proud to sponsor the 2026 Woman in Building and Construction Industry Apprentice or Trainee of the Year category in the Apprentice Employment Network WA 2026 Awards for Excellence program.