Congratulations to our Year 12 student Rio Withyman who was named as a top 3 finalist for the Queensland School-Based Apprentice/Trainee of the Year Awards.
Rio is currently undertaking his Certificate III in Maritime Operations with local tourism operator Sealink and is being recognised for his commitment to his formal studies at school and in the workplace.
Growing up onboard a sailing catamaran for 3 years with his family sailing the Queensland Coast, Rio set his sights firmly on pursuing a career in the Maritime Industry.
“The experience I am gaining through my traineeship and hands-on work on large vessels is equipping me with the skills and knowledge to pursue my dream job.”
Rio chose to undertake a school-based traineeship as it was an opportunity for him to gain a higher qualification in the Marine Industry, along with on-the-job skills while still fulfilling his goal of graduating Year 12 with a QCE.
“My goal is to undertake my practical assessment of skills towards the end of this year. This will see me completing my Master 24 training and qualification in under 2 years, while the usual timeline for a school-based trainee is 4 years.”
School-based apprenticeships and traineeships are wonderful opportunities to motivate and engage students at school as they work towards the career that they want. When they leave school, they then have recognised qualifications, experience and training in their chosen career making them immediately employable in the workforce.
Rio was recognised for his achievements at the 2024 North Queensland Regional Final Awards in Townsville in early August. Well done once again Rio!