Zeal Futures trade trainer, Amanda Smith, has been named Community Education Trainer of the Year, which was recently announced at the Community Colleges Australia (CCA) Awards in Sydney.
Amanda is a mechanical trainer based at the Zeal Futures Rutherford campus, where she currently teaches 32 Stage 2 mechanical apprentices, and assists with other programs, such as the Work Readiness Program for 1st year mining and energy apprentices.
Starting her own trade career through a pre-apprenticeship, Amanda then secured a mechanical-fitter apprenticeship, which she completed in 2 years. She then gained a broad range of knowledge and experience as a skilled fitter machinist with Joy Global (now Komatsu), which has proven invaluable for the apprentices she teaches in similar industries.
During the pandemic Amanda was motivated to embark on a new challenge, altering her career trajectory to become a trade trainer.
“I wanted to become a trainer to educate people and help them become the best they can be, personally and professionally,” she said.
“In particular, I wanted to advocate for women in trades and change perceptions about women in the industry.”
In her 15-year career Amanda never came across another female tradesperson. While there have been significant movements in this space, with more women taking up trade careers, Amanda hopes this award will provide a platform to break down barriers and stereotypes and encourage more women to pursue careers in this rewarding field.
“I was up against some fantastic nominees and didn’t expect to win at all. I’m still processing it,” Amanda said.
“It felt awesome to hear my name called out. Winning Trainer of the Year is a great achievement and I’m really proud of myself.”
Zeal Futures Learning General Manager, Debbie Laarkamp, described Amanda as a dedicated and passionate trainer who always strives to do her best.
“Amanda is constantly looking for ways to improve her classes, bringing in new jobs and challenges for her apprentices and always setting the goals to a very high standard to get the best out of every student,” she said.
“She builds rapport with her students to keep them motivated and adapts her classes to meet the needs of her students. Amanda takes the time to get to know her students; their capabilities, strengths and weaknesses and how they learn, and then uses this information to guide her lesson plans.”
In 2020, Amanda won the Lady Tradie Award. Award, which included a scholarship to cover the cost of a Certificate IV Hydraulics course, which helped to vastly improve and build her knowledge and understanding of hydraulic systems.
In 2023 Amanda self-funded a Leadership and Management qualification through TAFE to keep learning and better herself as a trainer.
Amanda has also demonstrated skills in safety and innovation, having recently designed and manufactured a jig for punching steel after someone was injured. This jig secures the letter puncher without having to physically hold it in place, ultimately mitigating a line of fire hazard.
Outside of work, Amanda has visited a local high school to mentor and inspire the next generation of tradespeople, sharing her passion for the trade with the young students, particularly women.
“Our students and employers are fortunate to have someone like Amanda in charge of training and skilling future generations of tradespeople. She is a role model for all apprentices, men and women,” Debbie said.
“Her unwavering dedication to her students’ learning, as well as her own professional development, is evident in the results she has achieved. Last year she had a 100% student completion rate, has received three employee award recognitions within 12 months, and one of her students won the Zeal Futures Student of the Year in 2024.
“Winning Community Education Trainer of the Year is further proof that Amanda is on the right path. We are grateful to have Amanda on the team and look forward to seeing her continue to thrive in her career.”
IMAGE | Amanda Smith
