There is much cause for celebration at HVTC Hunter as the group training organisation (GTO) approaches the significant milestone of 35 years of service to regional industry and its apprentices and trainees.
HVTC was incorporated on 18 June 1981 in the Hunter Valley and four days later its first employee, now executive director, Kay Sharp AM started work with a desk, a phone and 197 apprentices.
Today the company is Australia’s oldest GTO and has provided employment and training opportunities to more than 20,000 young people over its 35 years of operations.
The company provides employment and training to around 800 people a year through 10 offices across NSW and a registered training organisation (RTO) in the Hunter.
CEO Sharon Smith said the success of the company is due to its highly skilled staff and its innovative approach to business.
“We employ our apprentices and trainees directly to free up our host businesses to get on with providing meaningful and productive work experience. In doing so we have developed lasting partnerships with a diverse range of businesses,” Sharon said.
“Our personalised approach has resulted in apprentice and trainee completion rates of around 85%, well above the industry average of 50%,” she said.
Sharon paid tribute to Kay as well as founding chairman, now Patron of HVTC, the Hon. Milton Morris AO who still work tirelessly for the company in an effort to make a difference to people’s lives and to industry.
“HVTC works to ensure businesses have highly skilled people for their ongoing success and to enable the region’s industries to be strong.”
Sharon, who joined the company in 2012, is excited to be leading the team during a time when the vocational education and training sector is experiencing much change and development.
“We are building on the successes of the past 35 years, further modernising our systems, and looking at new opportunities for future growth in our business offering to clients.”
The company will celebrate this important anniversary at its 2016 HVTC Excellence Awards on 15 April 2016. The exceptional achievements of inspiring apprentices and trainees, along with the host businesses who work with the company to ensure young people secure quality employment outcomes will be honoured at the gala event in Newcastle.
