Icing on the cake

By Nicole Williams
NOBLE Park’s high achieving apprentice has another prestigious award under his chef’s hat.
Apprentice chef Colin Wilson was named Victorian Apprentice of the Year in September and last month was awarded Australian Apprentice of the Year at the Australian Training Awards in Brisbane.
He went through a week of intense interviews and personal development days in Brisbane before the winner was announced at an awards ceremony on Friday night.
“I am over the moon,” Mr Wilson said.
“It’s a real honour to win.”
Three years ago Mr Wilson, 38, was looking for something he was passionate about when he ditched his career in engineering to start a commercial cookery apprenticeship with Holmesglen TAFE – and he hasn’t looked back.
“I have always tried to do things I enjoy and I was just looking for something different,” he said.
“It worked.”
Since beginning in the industry Mr Wilson has worked with well-known chefs like Gordon Ramsay, Neil Perry and Michelin Star chef Thierry Marx.
He now works at Chateau Yering in the Yarra Valley.
South Eastern Metropolitan Region MP and Parliamentary Secretary for Education Inga Peulich congratulated Mr Wilson on the achievement.
“Mr Wilson has already demonstrated excellence in his field of vocational education and training by being named the winner in his category as part of the Victorians Training Awards and now he has been recognised as the best in the nation in his field,” Ms Peulich said.
“To win an award at the Australian Training Awards is the icing on the cake.”
Both the Victorian and Australia titles came with a cash prize, which Mr Wilson said would be put towards some more schooling and equipment.
He will also be kept busy during 2012, representing the apprenticeship system around Australia.
The 2011 Australian Training Award are the peak national awards for the vocational education and training (VET) sector, recognising and rewarding organisations and individuals for their outstanding contribution to skilling Australia.