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Congratulations to the incredible winners and nominees of the QLD Training Awards 2018

The Blue Dog Training team wholeheartedly believes that all children should have access to the same opportunities, no matter their differences or their disadvantages.

Graduated apprentice Keiran Trace followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, and became a qualified mechanical engineering tradesman.

In celebration of Alex’s well-deserved win, we wanted to write a bit about why this exceptional young man deserves to go into the state finals for his category

It’s that time of year again, where the Regional Queensland Training Awards finalists are announced and celebration is imminent.

For as long as Joshua Merritt can remember, he was destined to be the best tradesperson he could be.

John Varney always liked the idea of being able to call himself a qualified tradesman, but was never in a position to commit to an apprenticeship. After starting a family at an early age, John worked whatever jobs he could to put food on the table.

The two most important moments in your life are the day you are born and the day you work out why. Hamish Clarke figured it out when building a desk and bed for himself in Canada. While he had already completed a university degree and worked in construction management for several years, the simple act of creating with his hands inspired Hamish to throw it all away and pursue his passion for carpentry.

Loughlin Murphy’s journey to becoming a qualified carpenter began with a small opportunity to do two days of labouring work for a local builder, Cliff Curtain. After a full day of shifting crusher dust, Loughlin’s hands were covered in blisters. Cliff wasn’t sure whether he’d turn up the next morning, but sure enough, Loughlin arrived.

Becoming a tradie is both tough and rewarding. Apprentices learn very quickly that they will need to work hard, often in harsh conditions. But in the long run, the skills they develop early on help them throughout the rest of their life. For Ben Cocker, learning a trade has not only benefitted him, but also allowed him to give back to those in need in a meaningful way.