VICTORIAN TRAINING AWARD HELPS GROW GARDENING CAREERS

Celebrate apprentices, trainees, employers, trainers and organisations in the TAFE and training sector by submitting a nomination for the Victorian Training Awards. Discover the impact that winning an award had on Chris Henbery, who started his career in horticulture as an apprentice with NGIV member Gardenworld Nursery and went on to win NGIV’s Apprentice of the Year Award.

Chris Henbery is not afraid of change – and having taken on a new country and a new career, he is now reaping the seeds of success.

Migrating from London with his Australian wife and two-year-old son in 2011, Chris decided to indulge his passion for gardening over the career in banking and finance he left behind.

‘With a whole new life ahead of me, I decided to take the plunge and do something I was passionate about, and that was gardening,’ Chris says. ‘So I began a Certificate III in Horticulture (Retail Nursery) at Swinburne University of Technology while doing my apprenticeship at Gardenworld Nursery in Melbourne.’

Becoming a mature age apprentice has ultimately paid off.

‘Being able to combine study and work was a massive benefit,’ Chris says.

‘I’ve never looked back and I’ve progressed to being Head Greenlife Buyer at the nursery, overseeing the buying team as well as managing the nursery one day a week. I’ve also continued to build my skills by completing a Diploma of Horticulture.’

Chris’s success was evident early in his apprenticeship. Within one year of training, he was awarded a $1,000 Nursery and Garden Industry Victoria (NGIV) scholarship which he put towards his studies.

In 2013, he won the NGIV Apprentice of the Year Award, the Swinburne University of Technology Outstanding Apprentice of the Year and a bronze medal for an inspirational garden design at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show.

Another award from Swinburne for Academic Achievement in 2014 was followed by the Apprentice of the Year Award in the 2015 Victorian Training Awards. He then represented Victoria in the Australian Training Awards.

‘My involvement in the awards gave me a big boost in confidence and opened up opportunities and networks with industry mentors and fellow award participants,’ Chris says. ‘I’'m still in touch with many people I met at the awards and it’s great to be able to share experiences and other people’s journeys.’

Chris also enjoys sharing his experiences by being an Australian Apprenticeships Ambassador, giving talks at TAFEs and schools to spread the word about vocational education and training.

‘I’m proof that through the TAFE system you can indulge your passion, build your career and change your life – and that’s the message I want to give others,’ Chris says.

‘Now I have a career I love and can continually build on my learning.’

‘For someone like me who one day wants to have their own business and offer apprenticeships to others, that's going to really help me broaden my skill base as I work to achieve my goal.’

» Do you know a top-notch trainer?

» Are you an apprentice or trainee who has excelled over the past 12 months?

» Are you an employer who has contributed positively to Victoria’s vocational education and training sector?

Give someone a pat on the back, recognise their achievements, and give them a chance to win $5,000 in prize money with a Victorian Training Award nomination.

How to nominate

1. Make sure you carefully read the 2021 Victorian Training Awards Nomination Guide to ensure you have noted the conditions of entry and eligibility criteria for your chosen category.

2. Go to the nomination portal: vta.awardsplatform.com. Register to nominate and follow the step by step process.

3. Contact the Victorian Training Awards team for advice or for help with obtaining the assistance of our nomination writers, if required.

4. Make sure you submit your nomination by the closing date, midnight on Friday 4 June.