Bendigo Apprentices honoured for their achievements at 2025 Master Builders Victoria Regional Apprentice of the Year Awards.

Three Bendigo region apprentices have been honoured for the quality of their work at Master Builders Victoria’s Regional Apprentice of the Year Awards, held last night in Bendigo.

Thomas Miller from Murraydale was awarded the Bendigo Chairperson’s Award at a celebration on Thursday, February 27 at the All Season’s Resort Hotel in Bendigo, attended by more than 150 guests.

Employed by BJ Halligan Construction and nominated by Sunraysia Institute of TAFE, the judges in this year’s awards said Thomas who is a 3rd year carpentry apprentice was a deserving winner.

“Thomas has been described as an excellent apprentice. Beginning at just 15 assisting his plasterer father, Thomas consistently demonstrates outstanding initiative and workmanship. He’s keen to continue learning and ultimately earn his builder registration,” noted the judges.

Third year carpentry apprentice Alexandra Thwaites from Kennington took home the Bendigo Apprentice of the Year Developing Leader Award.

Nominated by both her training provider, Bendigo Kangan Institute and her employer Yarrington Constructions Pty Ltd, the judges noted that Alexandra was a strong nominee with a passion for hands-on work which led to her enthusiasm for carpentry.

“Alexandra takes great pride in now leading the site and she enjoys mentoring younger apprentices, sharing her knowledge and making sure they work safely. Looking to the future Alexandra wants to refine her leadership skills and take on more responsibilities as a projet manager.”

The final award of the night, the Bendigo Apprentice of the Year Excellence in Trades Award was awarded to Blake Retallick, a 3rd year carpentry apprentice from Strathdale.

Blake is employed by VR Builders and was nominated for the award by Bendigo Kangan Institute.

The judges noted that Blake’s passion for carpentry and distinctive skill set were outstanding..

“Blake thrives on problem solving and he finds great satisfaction in completing a project and delivering it to a client. His eagerness to learn and tackle challenges has helped him and his co-workers navigate difficult situations on site, where Blake has proven himself to be a reliable tradesman capable of managing job sites safely and efficiently.

Apprentices nominated for the awards were judged on their preparation and presentation, work experience, knowledge and career plans, attitude on and about the job and industry representation, by a panel of industry judges.

Master Builders Victoria CEO, Michaela Lihou congratulated Thomas, Alexandra and Blake on their awards, noting the strength of this year’s nominations.

“Right across regional Victoria we’re seeing terrific apprentices flourishing in their careers and with the current shortage of qualified tradespeople, there’s room for plenty more. With plenty of work on the horizon we’d love to see more men – and women – think about a trade apprenticeship as a rewarding and viable career path,” she said.

The Bendigo winners will go on to the overall Victorian State Apprentice of the Year Awards being held at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne on Thursday, May 8, 2025.

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