Apprentice Awards

First Year Apprentice of the Year

SCHOOL-based apprentice Naomi Lee has won this year’s Warrnambool Apprentice of the Year award.

Ms Lee, 18, is in the first year of a hairdressing apprenticeship and works the equivalent of one day a week at Gloss Art Hair and Beauty in Warrnambool while studying at South West TAFE for two afternoons and at Warrnambool College for three days.

Her nominator, South West TAFE hairdressing department co-ordinator Jenny Best-McCosh, said Ms Lee had a natural talent for the trade and a great rapport with clients and other apprentices.

“You show her once and she gets it straight off,” Mrs Best-McCosh said.

Ms Lee, of Allansford, said working after hours and on Saturday mornings at the hairdressing salon as well as doing year 12 gave her a busy life.

However, she was enjoying the opportunities the work gave her to be creative and meet new people, she said. Ms Lee said she had been introduced to hairdressing by her aunty and had enjoyed playing with the look of her own hair and that of her friends.

The awards are for first-year apprentices and are held by the Warrnambool East Rotary Club in conjunction with South West TAFE.

Club president Terry Baker said there had been six nominees  and the club was impressed with their calibre. Mr Baker said the award was for first-year apprentices because the first year was often the most difficult and the club wanted to give support at that time. The winner receives a cash prize.

(Courtesy of the Warrnambool Standard)