A Mount Gambier teenager has been named the school-based Apprentice of the Year at the 2021 South Australian Training Awards.

Grant High School student Rachael Kelly, pictured below, received the award in Adelaide last week after undertaking Certificate III in Business with local real estate agency Key 2 Sale, through training provider Limestone Coast Training.

Miss Kelly is working to complete Year 12 at Grant High School, while simultaneously undertaking a 12-month Certificate III in Business traineeship with Key 2 Sale.

The awards, presented by the South Australian Skills Commission and supported by Collaboration Partners MEGT and Mas, highlight quality, excellence and innovation in the state’s vocational education and training (VET) sector.

South Australian Skills Commissioner Renee Hindmarsh said the high calibre of finalists and winners highlighted the hard work and resilience of the VET sector as the state overcomes the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“With the launch of the new South Australian Skills Commission, we will work closely with industry to provide independent advice to the South Australian Government on workforce development priorities that meet the state’s current and future work skills needs,” Ms Hindmarsh said.

“This enables us to prepare apprentices and trainees for jobs of the future in the fields industry has told us it most needs and to share their success stories with the South Australian community.”

The 2021 South Australian Training Awards winners now have the opportunity to represent South Australia at the 2021 Australian Training Awards, to be presented on 18 November.