Craftsmanship, quality and professionalism were front and centre last night, with the winners of the 2023 Victoria and Tasmania Welding Excellence Awards announced in Melbourne. Weld Australia’s Excellence Awards are the most prestigious event on the welding industry calendar.
The Awards showcase and celebrate the world-class work being undertaken by local welders, fabricators and industry educators. This year, the awards were held at Huntingdale Golf Club and saw the best and brightest from the Victorian and Tasmanian welding industry come together to acknowledge the incredible calibre of work achieved over the past 12 months.
According to Weld Australia’s CEO, Geoff Crittenden, “The 2023 Welding Excellence Awards shine a light on the remarkable talents of welders and fabricators right across Victoria and Tasmania. Weld Australia is thrilled to celebrate both businesses and individuals who are making waves in welding through their dedication to quality, safety and innovation.”
“This year’s winners feature businesses and individuals committed to the pursuit of innovative, sustainable solutions that minimise risk and maximise project outcomes, as well as initiatives designed to increase the breadth and depth of skilled labour within the welding sector,” Crittenden said.
The Department of Justice and Community Safety, Corrections Victoria, won the inaugural President’s Award for an Outstanding Social Project in Welding for their VET Centre of Excellence. In 2022, Corrections Victoria expanded its VET Centre of Excellence model to deliver Fusion Welding to ISO 9606 certification standard to complement their Metal Fabrication industry at HM Prison Langi Kal Kal. Federation University delivers the training program with the support of Weld Australia and on-site prison industry staff. As part of the program, augmented reality training was introduced to expand the welding skills of the prisoner learners to meet international standards. A welding workshop sits alongside the augmented reality training room so that participants can work on projects to use and practice their welding skills in the physical as well as virtual environments. The VET Centre of Excellence model links participating prisoners with prospective employers and pre- and post-release support service providers. These connections provide prisoners with sustainable pathways to employment and support to reintegrate to society post-release.
TAFE Gippsland won the 2023 Training and Education – Organisation Award for Victoria. TAFE Gippsland is setting the benchmark for the delivery of accessible, quality vocational education and training. Their new Port of Sale Campus is fitted with cutting-edge technology such as CNC lathes and mills. This equipment gives students the change to experience working with real-world technology and equipment. The campus has also recently added an advanced hydraulic and pneumatic training centre for both engineering and automotive students in response to industry need. The TAFE Gippsland team includes highly qualified and skilled staff who have worked across all facets of the trade.
The Tasmanian Minerals, Manufacturing and Energy Council (TMEC) won the 2023 Training and Education – Organisation Award for Tasmania. TMEC’s Advanced Welding Centre provides welder training and assessment utilising the latest augmented reality welding simulators. TMEC delivers a range of industry led training, providing access to flexible welder training and certification solutions for Tasmanian industry. TMEC has delivered innovative programs specifically aimed at increasing workforce participation, designed for long-term unemployed and migrants. TMEC has also developed a foundational program for beginners, and an inclusive program to increase female participation.