By TANIA PHILLIPS
Pic 1: Auto mechanic Thomas Rann receives his Faculty Achievement Award from North Coast TAFE faculty director Julie Board.
Pic 2: Tara McGhee
Pic 3: Lourna Huthnance
THREE high achievers studying at North Coast TAFE in the Tweed region have taken out top awards in this year’s Student Achievement Awards announced at a special dinner held at the Osprey Restaurant, at Coffs Harbour Education Campus on 30 May.
Mechanic Thomas Rann, customer contact student Lourna Huthnance and business adminstration student Tara McGhee were among this year’s North Coast major award winners.
The awards recognised the efforts in 2012 of top-performing students from across North Coast TAFE’s 17 campuses and further afield, incorporating around 45,000 students.
Thomas Rann, who studied at Murwillumbah Campus and recently gained a highly-sought after job as a mechanic on the Ford Performance Racing V8 supercar team, won both the Apprentice of the Year Award and the Transport Faculty Achievement Award.
Faculty director Julie Board said that Thomas showed drive, communication and leadership and was a great advocate and ambassador for the auto trades and vocational training.
“He was a successful competitor in auto trade events and Worldskills competitions, and has a passion for the industry – lives it and promotes the value of education to others in the industry,” Ms Board said.
Lourna Huthnance studied her certificate three in customer contact through Kingscliff Campus and was awarded the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year Award.
Director of community development and Aboriginal engagement Heather McGregor said that Lourna expected only the best from herself in order to provide only the best for others.
“Lourna’s teachers and employer acknowledged her excellent problem solving skills, professionalism and genuine commitment to study, along with her great maturity and strong resilience,” Ms McGregor said.
Tara McGhee, a business administration student who completed her diploma at Kingscliff Campus in 2012, won the Business Services Faculty Achievement Award.
Faculty director Helyn Davison praised Tara’s courage and resilience “in the face of some daunting personal circumstances” and her “drive and tenacity”.
“Tara had a clear vision of career goals and a plan to achieve them, and was a stellar role model to all other students,” Ms Davison said.
