Securing one of the 11 coveted titles at the 2024 Tropical North Queensland Training Awards, Centacare FNQ and Centacare FNQ community worker Leah Garling was honoured on the weekend for her work and dedication to creating better futures for marginalised community members.
Held in Port Douglas on Saturday, the 2024 Tropical North Queensland Training Awards saw Centacare FNQ accept two awards.
Representatives from Centacare FNQ were on hand to accept awards for staff from the group, including managers of the workplace trainee program, Upcycling for Training Initiative of the Year and community worker Ms Garling, who was overjoyed to accept her trophy for winning Equity Trainee of the Year.
Ms Garling was delighted with the award and the nomination of her employer, Centacare FNQ, for facilitating a Certificate 1 in Workplace Skills (through Skilling Queenslanders for Work).
She said the training opportunity provided a pathway to a better future and has led to her current employment as a Community Worker at Centacare FNQ's Manoora Neighbourhood Centre.
Ms Garling took full-time care of her grandchildren after losing her only child in 2022. Since then, she has embarked on a journey of personal and professional growth. She also completed her training as part of Centacare FNQ's Park Hub Traineeship, designed for the Cairns Villas / Cairns West community.
Centacare FNQ's director of shared services Chris Warner noted that Ms Garling's ongoing work at the Manoora Neighbourhood Centre makes her truly deserving of this award.
"This award is a testament to the value of targeted training programs and, importantly, Leah's unwavering commitment to community service, balancing her professional development with caregiving responsibilities. We could not be prouder," he said.
Centacare FNQ's Upcyclinc initiative was also honoured as the winner of the Tropical North Queensland Training Awards' Training Initiative of the Year.
Centacare FNQ's Upcyclinc is an innovative program that in 2023, supported 30 trainees through various workplace traineeships, enabling them to complete their Certificate I in Construction and Business Workplace Skills.
Mr Warner said Upcyclinc is a hands-on, results-based program that equips participants with valuable skills and career pathways.
"Congratulations to our team, which has worked hard and deserves this recognition. Upcyclinc exemplifies excellence in community-focused training because it does not take a one-size-fits-all approach but is tailored to translate into jobs and careers" he said.
"This program proves that hands-on training and dedicated support create pathways to meaningful employment, exemplifying excellence in community-focused training initiatives."
Aiming to create an inclusive, connected community, Centacare FNQ specialises in family and children services, mental health, care coordination, and multicultural services. Centacare Multicultural Services (CMS) leads the Upcyclinc initiative, providing transformative spaces for migrants, refugees, and First Nations job seekers to access integrated training and employment pathways.
In 2023, Centacare FNQ's Upcyclinc program achieved exceptional results, particularly for the 32 trainees enrolled in Certificate I in Construction or Business.
With over 93 per cent of CALD and First Nation community participants securing employment or further education, the program demonstrated excellent completion rates and employment outcomes.
Centacare FNQ will now contest both training categories at the state awards event held in Brisbane on September 7.