News & Views

7th February 2018

Jim Brown from The College of Electrical Training wins the 2014 Trade Teacher Award

NECA is very pleased to announce that Jim Brown – the trades instructor at the College of Electrical Training in Western Australia, is the 2014 winner of this coveted award.  Jim will be presented with his award at the NECA National Excellence Awards later this month in Melbourne.

Jim has worked in the industry for over 50 years.  As he approached the end of his career he thought it would be fitting to spend a short spell ‘giving something back’ and a training role seemed the best way to do just that.  And that was more than thirteen years ago.

The judging panel – led by Wes McKnight (the former President of NECA), were so impressed by Jim that they asked him what advice he would give to young people entering the industry today.  “Just be yourself and focus on your clients,” was Jim’s answer.  In addition, for anyone involved in promoting a career in the electrical contracting industry, Jim’s additional advice is that people should ‘sell the reality of the job to better meet expectations’.

“We were very impressed by this year’s candidates,” said Wes McKnight.  “So much so that we also awarded a runner-up.  Kyle Praprotnik – a lecturer at Durack Institute of Technology, was highly commended for his enthusiasm and commitment to the industry.  Kyle is clearly an up-and-coming star and it’s great to see young people with his potential taking such an active part in training the next generation of electrical contractors,” added Wes.

These annual awards are testament to the quality of professionals teaching in our industry today and we take this opportunity of thanking all the committed teachers, lecturers and mentors supporting our apprentices, and post-qualification students, in their studies.

On behalf of our industry, we applaud Jim and Kyle, for their great contribution.

 

-ENDS-

 

Media enquiries and interviews

Barry Jackson – National Marketing and Communications

E barry.jackson@neca.asn.au

D 02 9962 6904

M 0457 767 328

 

Andrew Jefferies – National Policy and Submissions

E andrew.jefferies@neca.asn.au

D 02 9962 6903

M 0458 726 355

 

 

Notes for editors

  1. NECA is the peak industry body representing the interests of electrical and communications contractors Australia-wide.
  2. NECA is run by electrical contractors, for electrical contractors.
  3. We have 5,000 contracting companies as members – and they in turn employ over 50,000 people Australia-wide.
  4. NECA employs almost 350 people across its seven chapters (Queensland, New South Wales, ACT, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia).
  5. The chapters provide NECA members with a range of services including: Industrial Relations, Health & Safety, Legal, Technical, Training, business-support services, product discounts and advocacy representation in Canberra with Government, Industry bodies and Training bodies.
  6. NECA wholly-owns its Legal firm, Group Training and the NECA Colleges (in WA) and EcoSmart Electricians – and has joint ventures with a superannuation company (NSW) and one of the national cabling registrars (ACRS).
  7. NECA also employ around 2,000 apprentice electricians and provides training to a further 2,000.
  8. For further information go to www.neca.asn.au .

 

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