Queensland Alumina Limited (QAL) has awarded talented tradespeople, mentors and an operator at the highly-anticipated Apprentice & Trainee of the Year Awards 2025, held recently at its Bob Druitt Training Centre.
For the 35th consecutive year running, the QAL Apprentice & Trainee of the Year Awards recognises and honours the exceptional achievements of our top performing Process Trainee and Trade Apprentices who display a commitment to building their skills in an inclusive, diverse and progressive workplace.
In an exciting chapter of the awards program, the QAL Learning & Development Team created a new category recognising the foundational role of mentors in shaping determined, resilient and highly-skilled tradespeople.
General Manager, Trent Scherer announced the 2025 award winners:
- Trainee of the Year: Daniel Siegmann
- Apprentice of the Year: Royce Parnaby and Bill Dwan
- Electrical Mentor of the Year: Trevor Tummon
- Mechanical Mentor of the Year: Wade Taylor
Mr Scherer said the award recipients this year have not only left a lasting impression on the business, but also upon their fellow peers who aspire to display the same values in their own work.
“I have had the pleasure of witnessing the culmination of determination, resilience and compassion in our confident and capable graduating apprentices. Equally, I have seen firsthand the quality of tradespeople developed through our apprentice program, which began in 1968,” he said.
“It is humbling to see our team members performing at their best and setting a high standard for those at the very beginning of their own rewarding trades career.
“This year, we welcomed 15 apprentices and 39 trainees into our process traineeship program, which started more than a decade ago.”
Learning & Development Superintendent, Kate Hansell, said the Mentor of the Year Award is an opportunity for QAL to celebrate outstanding in-field Mechanical and Electrical mentors shaping our future skilled workforce.
“The Mentor of the Year award is particularly special because our very own apprentices vote on the recipients, who show not only technical skill, but also the patience, wisdom, and genuine care that defines a true mentor,” she said.
Former Manager of QAL and founder of the Apprentice of the Year Awards, Bruce Hunt OAM, joined the evening proceedings alongside his wife Robin, to congratulate and present the award recipients with their prizes and certificates.
2025 Apprentice of the Year, Royce Parnaby, was recognised for his commitment to continuous improvement, safety, and adaptability while performing as a leader.
“I absolutely loved the transition from high school, straight into an apprenticeship,” Royce shared.
“It’s been a real good achievement and a lot of fun over the last five years. It’s good to finish it off with such a high achievement.”
Over the lifespan of operations, the QAL training team have mentored and awarded over 856 apprentices and 264 trainees.
QAL’s longstanding apprenticeship program is highly regarded and offers hands-on, on-the-job training, along with nationally-recognised formal qualifications.
Pictured: QAL General Manager, Trent Scherer, QAL Apprentices of the Year Bill Dwan and Royce Parnaby, former Manager of QAL Bruce Hunt.
Pictured: QAL General Manager, Trent Scherer, QAL Trainee of the Year Daniel Siegmann, former Manager of QAL, Bruce Hunt.
Pictured: QAL General Manager, Trent Scherer, and QAL Mechanical Mentor of the Year, Wade Taylor.
Pictured: QAL General Manager, Trent Scherer, and QAL Electrical Mentor of the Year, Trevor Tummon.
Pictured: Join the award-winning team at QAL.
