TAFE Gippsland engineering fabrication student Amber Leyshan has been named Apprentice of the Year at the 2025 Victorian Training Awards.
L-R: The TAFE Gippsland team: Rhonda Noble, Scott Wright, Alex Terranova, Amber Leyshan, Linda Austin, Justin Fallu & Jason Clements.
The awards, held in Melbourne on Friday 19 September, celebrated the state's finest across 14 individual, business and training provider categories.
The Apprentice of the Year Award is presented to a Victorian apprentice who has displayed outstanding achievement in all aspects of their trade, for which Amber met all the criteria.
After deferring a teaching degree and managing a Bunnings trades department, Amber was inspired by her tradie customers to start an engineering and fabrication apprenticeship with AGL at Loy Yang Power Station, enrolling in a Certificate III in Engineering – Fabrication Trade (Boilermaking) at TAFE Gippsland.
Her achievements don’t stop there. Amber also received the Community Impact Award at TAFE Gippsland’s inaugural Education Awards in Sale, recognising her outstanding contribution to her industry and the Gippsland community.
“Amber’s success is a proud moment for her, her educators and her employer,” said Linda Austin, Director Educational Delivery at TAFE Gippsland.
“It’s a testament to the quality training and support we provide. Amber has been a passionate advocate for women in trades, regularly promoting trade careers and inspiring the next generation of skilled workers.”
Determined to excel in a male-dominated field, Amber has gained extra welding certifications, mastered advanced techniques and won the WorldSkills Gippsland Regional competition, achieving the highest welding score in Victoria.
Congratulations to Amber and to the dedicated teams at TAFE Gippsland and AGL Loy Yang for this outstanding achievement.