Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE

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Shepparton electrician named outstanding student

GOTAFE's Outstanding Student of the Year Award for the Shepparton Campus was won by Electrical apprentice, Cameron Shields of Shepparton.

An electrical apprentice with Watters Electrical Pty Ltd Cameron excelled in his four year apprenticeship, the Certificate III in Electrotechnology Systems Electrician. He was nominated as the overall campus award winner from a field of 12 outstanding students in their fields.

After successfully completing his Year 12 VCE at Wanganui Secondary College, Cameron was quick to gain employment as an electrical apprentice at Watters Electrical Pty Ltd, which requires four years off the job training with GOTAFE.

"This particular course has an extremely challenging and rigorous content and assessment regime with externally set written exams combined with practical assessments," said GOTAFE Electrical Course Coordinator Norm Lawler.

"Apprentices are required to undertake strenuous theory and practical licensing exams conducted by the Industry Training Board in their final year. Cameron has achieved a 93% average which is extremely high for this course."

Cameron has combined his on-the-job training with his studies to achieve outstanding results in all aspects of his course and licensing assessment which has resulted in him becoming a registered A Grade Electrician.

Cameron's interest in working with all things electrical started from a young age when he pulled apart a kettle that wasn't working and he wanted to figure out why.

"It was in my Year 9 Science class when we worked on electronic components that I really knew this was the direction of the career path I wanted to pursue," said Cameron.

Cameron has been a consistent high achiever with both on-the-job and off-the-job training, learning skills thoroughly and quickly with a desire to learn much more than the basics. His workplace supervisors are unanimous in their praise of his work ethic, ability to think problems through, and neat tradesmanship.

Watters Electrical Pty Ltd Shepparton Branch Manager Steve Serafini said "Cameron shows an interest in new technologies and is keen to develop and adopt knowledge and skills to cope with emerging work practices. He is developing into an extremely knowledgeable and competent electrical tradesman with potential to go a lot further."

Cameron has expressed interest in further study after completion of his apprenticeship possibly in the field of electrical engineering and automation. He is now pursing studies in data course security systems.

Upon announcing Cameron as the Outstanding Student of the Year Award winner for Shepparton Campus GOTAFE CEO, Paul Culpan said "Cameron graduates tonight as an inspiration to all. It is due to his drive, aspiration and his inquiring mind that he is a worthy recipient of GOTAFE's 2008 Outstanding Student of the Year."

Over 1400 students graduated at the GOTAFE Shepparton Campus Graduation ceremony from the Primary Industries, Service and Technology Divisions, the Koorie and Multicultural Education Units, the National Centre for Equine Education, the National Centre for Dairy Education and Innoven. The students receive recognition for completing nationally accredited courses at Advanced Diploma, Diploma and Certificates I to IV levels.

The Centre Achievement Awards were won by:

Business, IT, Arts, Sport & Recreation - Rachel Vandemeer
Building and Construction Trades - Cameron Shields
Engineering and Automotive Trades - Lyndon Florence
Health, Social and Community Services - Angela Carmichael
Adult Literacy & Basic Education - Sarah Newell
Koorie Education Centre - Janaya Stewart
Multicultural Education Centre - Uzembe Byamasu
Innoven Food Industry Centre - Deanne Stagg
Innoven Hospitality - Madeleine Searle
Agriculture - Jordan Ivone
Horticulture - Bronwyn Macfarlane
National Centre for Dairy Education Australia - Daniel Flynn

For more information on GOTAFE courses browse our website or call 1300 GOTAFE (1300 468 233).