{"id":373770,"date":"2026-06-29T13:47:29","date_gmt":"2026-06-29T03:47:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=373770"},"modified":"2026-06-29T15:05:50","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T05:05:50","slug":"regional-finalists-announced","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2026\/06\/29\/regional-finalists-announced\/","title":{"rendered":"Regional Finalists Announced"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Finalist Koby Douglas, centre, at last year’s Cherbourg Council NAIDOC awards where he received the Youth In The Community Award … Koby is pictured with Cherbourg Deputy Mayor Gordon Wragge and Member for Wide Bay Llew O’Brien<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

June 29, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

Three South Burnett\u00a0entries have been named as regional finalists in the 65th Queensland Training Awards.<\/p>\n

The three finalists (see below) will compete at the Darling Downs and South West Regional finals on Friday, August 14, in Toowoomba.<\/p>\n

Across Queensland, a total of 206 finalists have been named in 10 categories in seven regions.<\/p>\n

A total of 715 nominations were received.<\/p>\n

Regional winners will compete at the Queensland Training Awards State Final which will be held in Brisbane on September 19.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The finalists, below, will compete against two other nominees in their particular category at the Darling Downs and South West Regional finals:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Category: Large Employer Of\u00a0 The Year<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

South Burnett Regional Council<\/strong><\/p>\n

South Burnett Regional Council recognises the important role local government plays in developing regional talent. Employees are encouraged to grow through apprenticeships, traineeships and professional development opportunities that build capability across a wide range of services. <\/p>\n

By fostering local skills and leadership, the Council is helping create a resilient workforce for the future.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Category:\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Student Of The Year<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Koby Douglas<\/strong><\/p>\n

Qualification:<\/strong> Certificate III in Business
\nRegistered Training Organisation:<\/strong> TAFE Queensland
\nEmployer:<\/strong> Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council<\/p>\n

Koby began his career with the Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council, quickly progressing into a role in Human Resources. He consistently demonstrates strong work ethics, reliability and a commitment to lifelong learning. <\/p>\n

By completing the council\u2019s Red Earth Leadership program, Koby has further developed his leadership abilities, allowing him to inspire and mentor others. <\/p>\n

As a proud Traditional Owner and young Aboriginal leader from Cherbourg, he is a passionate advocate for vocational pathways, proving that education and dedication can lead to meaningful careers within Aboriginal communities.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington with Brendon Newman who won a Gold Medal at last year’s WorldSkills Australia National Championships (Photo: Nanango Electorate Office)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Category:\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>Harry Hauenschild Apprentice Of The Year<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Brendon Newman<\/strong><\/p>\n

Qualification:<\/strong> Certificate III in Electrotechnology Electrician and Certificate III in Instrumentation and Control
\nRegistered Training Organisation:<\/strong> TAFE Queensland
\nEmployer:<\/strong> Stanwell Corporation<\/p>\n

Fascinated by the mystery of electrical systems, Brendon set out to master them through methodical learning. He completed a dual apprenticeship in Certificate III in Electrotechnology Electrician and Certificate III in Instrumentation and Control at Tarong Power Station. <\/p>\n

Brendon achieved outstanding success, winning regional and national WorldSkills Australia titles, earning the Queensland Overseas Foundation Scholarship, and securing a permanent role as an Instrumentation and Control Technician. <\/p>\n

Now studying an Associate Degree in Electrical Engineering part-time, Brendon\u2019s journey has even inspired his brother to start his own apprenticeship.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Three South Burnett\u00a0entries have been named as regional finalists in the 65th Queensland Training Awards.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":362579,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5,3],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nRegional Finalists Announced - southburnett.com.au<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Three South Burnett\u00a0entries have been named as regional finalists in the 65th Queensland Training Awards.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2026\/06\/29\/regional-finalists-announced\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Regional Finalists Announced - southburnett.com.au\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Three South Burnett\u00a0entries have been named as regional finalists in the 65th Queensland Training Awards.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2026\/06\/29\/regional-finalists-announced\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"southburnett.com.au\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-06-29T03:47:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-06-29T05:05:50+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/20250708awards5a.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"740\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"460\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Anne Miller\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Anne Miller\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2026\/06\/29\/regional-finalists-announced\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2026\/06\/29\/regional-finalists-announced\/\",\"name\":\"Regional Finalists Announced - 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