Celebrating our students at The Gordon’s Awards for Excellence

2025-04-04

This week, we announced the 19 student winners in this year’s Gordon Awards for Excellence held at the Geelong Arts Centre.

The Gordon Awards for Excellence recognise students who have achieved top standards and demonstrated exceptional dedication to training, leadership and community engagement.

In front of a packed theatre, winners of two major awards, three special recognition awards and 14 topic-based awards were celebrated.

GA2025 winners

Alicia Martin took out top honours, being awarded the Student of the Year for her achievements while studying the Advanced Diploma of Building Design (Architectural).

Alicia came to The Gordon to retrain in Building Design as a mature-aged student having previously served as a member of Victoria Police. After a workplace injury, Alicia considered new opportunities and chose to follow her father’s footsteps in architecture.

“My father worked as an architect/building designer for nearly 60 years. From a young age, he instilled a strong appreciation for the built environment in me. My fondest memories spent with him were sitting on his lap at his drawing board or visiting sites and holding a staff while he took measurements, Alicia said.

“I have always been naturally creative but have found it difficult to channel it successfully as I am also deeply analytical and strive in a structured environment. Building design gives me a creative outlet that has boundaries as I am required to work around strict regulations which require me to tap into my problem-solving skills. It has given me something I really love to focus on, giving me purpose and direction.“

Alicia also won the Design Excellence Award.

The Apprentice of the Year award was given to Horticulturist Simon Berry for his achievements in studying Certificate III in Parks and Gardens.

Simon said his “dream was always to secure ongoing employment at the Geelong Botanic Gardens as a horticulturist” which he now has achieved.

“Horticulture has always been my passion (with an interest in bonsai and Niwaki since my teenage years), so I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity of studying under the tutelage of Course coordinator Tony Hughes and John Mitchell, both of whom are a wealth of knowledge and an asset to The Gordon,” Simon said.

“I am still amazed that I get paid to do something I absolutely love. I will be forever thankful to The Gordon.”

Simon also won the Natural Environment & Science Excellence Award.

Chief Executive Officer for The Gordon, Joe Ormeno said “These awards recognise the commitment and perseverance to succeed. To be named a finalist amongst the more than 11,500 students that studied at The Gordon in 2024 is an outstanding achievement.”

“These students, apprentices, and trainees represent the best of The Gordon — a diverse, talented, and determined group of learners who set out to achieve something more.”

“Demonstrating more than academic excellence, these students are people to watch; they are high-achievers in the community and the classroom. Many have overcome challenges and unforeseen obstacles with determination and grit, or had the courage to take on a different pathway mid career.”

He said the quality of applications was “impressive”, and the competition “fiercely contested”, noting all finalists should be proud of their achievements.

A total of 42 finalists were acknowledged for their outstanding contributions while studying at The Gordon.

The Gordon Excellence Awards 2025 Student of the Year, Alicia Martin
The Gordon Excellence Awards 2025 Student of the Year, Alicia Martin
The Gordon Excellence Awards 2025 Apprentice of the Year, Simon Berry
The Gordon Excellence Awards 2025 Apprentice of the Year, Simon Berry

2025 award recipients by Category 

Student of the Year

Winner: Alicia Martin

Finalists: Mary Brodie and Shinay Grobler

Sponsored by:
Deakin University

Apprentice of the Year

Winner: Simon Berry

Finalists: Benjamin Anderson and Lauren Mortensen

Sponsored by:
Gforce

Advanced Manufacturing & WHS Excellence Award

Winner: Lauren Mortensen

Finalists: Emily Doyle and Brayden Morse

Sponsored by:
Geelong Manufacturing Council

Business & Technology Excellence Award

Winner: Thomas Bergamin

Finalists: Paul Salter and Zachary Ward Tangey

Sponsored by:
Geelong Chamber of Commerce

Carpentry & Construction Excellence Award

Winner: Kian Mel Vincent Gonzales

Finalists: Daniel Cruz and Noah Tana

Sponsored by:
MEGT

Culinary Excellence Award

Winner: Shinay Grobler

Finalists: Tayla Mason and Caleb Tilders

Sponsored by:
Leura Park Estate

Design Excellence Award

Winner: Alicia Martin
Finalists: Sarah Riley-Pantchenko and Carolyn Salkeld

Sponsored by:
Print Design

Education & Training Excellence Award

Winner: Eliane Saliba
Finalists: Nicholas Bufalo and Maureen Ktzyzanski

Sponsored by:
Geelong Tech School

Electrical Excellence Award

Winner: Benjamin Anderson

Finalists: Thomas Egan and Jiangting Wang

Sponsored by:
Middy’s Electrical

Natural Environment & Science Excellence Award

Winner: Simon Berry

Finalists: Cecelia Herreen and Luis Mangubat

Sponsored by:
Barwon Water

Nursing & Pathology Excellence Award

Winner: Mary Brodie

Finalists: Sally Geddes and Madison Lewis

Sponsored by:
Skills and Jobs Centre

Retail Excellence Award

Winner: Lachlan Fletcher

Finalists: Annabelle Latrobe and Leanne Ward

Sponsored by:
The Studio at The Gordon

International Excellence Award

Winner: Oubonlat Khaykhamphithoun

Finalists: Yechan Kim and Qi Mun Wong

Sponsored by:
International, The Gordon

School-based Apprentice of Trainee of the Year

Winner: Will Martin-Alcaide

Finalists: Anastasia Sharkey and Alexandra Mavis Watt

Sponsored by:
Victorian Group Training

VCE / VCE VM Excellence Award

Winner: Zechariah Horvath

Finalists: Claudia Gifford and Leonie Tromba

Sponsored by:
McHarrys Buslines

VETDSS Excellence Award

Winner: Georgie Collins

Finalists: Jessica Galea and Rory Smith

Sponsored by:
Geelong Connected Communities

Special recognition awards:

Community Spirit Award

Winner: Zachary Ward Tangey

Sponsored by:
Geelong Connected Communities

Koorie Excellence Award

Winner: Shirley Darcy

Sponsored by:
Cultura

Lifelong Learning Award

Winner: Yechan Kim

Sponsored by:
Skilling the Bay

A special thanks to our major sponsors, Deakin University and GForce and all our supporting sponsors who have kindly contributed to this event. They are: Barwon Water, Cultura, Geelong Chamber of Commerce, Geelong Connected Communities, Geelong Manufacturing Council, Geelong Tech School, Leura Park Estate, McHarrys Buslines, MEGT, Middy’s Electrical, Print Design, Skilling the Bay, Skills and Jobs Centre, The Studio and Victorian Group Training.

Sponsors of the 2025 Awards