Former Charles Darwin University student Reginald (Reggie) King has won Group Training Australia’s National Indigenous Apprentice award.
Group Training Australia employs over 14,000 apprentices and trainees through a network of providers around the country. Reggie was nominated for his encouragement and motivation of others to build their skills development.
He originally trained as a chef at CDU in Alice Springs in the early 1990s and later worked in restaurants in Katherine and as a tour guide.
He eventually moved to his wife’s community of Yarralin, 1100 km south west of Darwin.
With few job opportunities, Reggie enrolled in a second apprenticeship through Group Training, qualifying as an assistant Essential Services Operation for Power and Water after completing Certificate II in Electrotechnology at CDU.
He now assists Graeme Tierney, CDU lecturer in Remote Area Essential Services in the delivery and assessment of two apprentices.
Reggie says he enjoys teaching and assisting others to learn new skills.
‘I strongly recommend other Indigenous people take on apprenticeships,’ he says.