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The win for graphic, pre-press and design specialist Tessa Mills (pictured centre) adds to a hot streak for young people from the East Gippsland-based printing and newspaper publishing company, which takes pride in its apprentice intake, according to managing director Bob Yeates (pictured left).
Last year saw graphic pre-press apprentice Nicolas Sharp from its East Gippsland Newspapers arm take the award for Apprentice of the Year at last June’s RMIT ceremony. One of the company’s young designers, Tim Pacheco, also won at the World Skills awards in 2010.
This year’s LIA winner, Tessa Mills, was one of seven nominees for the Victorian awards, which also included Alex Blundell, a sheetfed operator at RA Printing in Kilsyth; Kade Opray, a sheetfed operator at Immij Printing in Mount Waverley; Daniel Menkens, a bindery specialist at Signs Publishing in Warburton; Melissa Ryan, a pre-press, plate and printing operator at Western District Newspapers in Camperdown; Jason Veal, a plate and press operator at Visy Glama in Kilsyth, and Jason Wylie, who works in finishing at Colorpak in Braeside.
A beaming Mills was presented with her award by Heidelberg Australia’s general manager of sales, southern region, John Kirkham (pictured right), at a presentation held at the press maker’s Print Media Academy in the Melbourne suburb of Notting Hill on 18 August.
The winning graduate, who will represent Victoria in the GAMAA-LIA National Scholarship Prize to be held in Queensland in November, thanked employer Bob Yeates for his support.
Yeates described Mills as a “dynamic all-rounder” who has contributed greatly to the operations of the regional printing and publishing company.
Guest speaker Simon Cochaud, director of the International Centre of Graphic Technology at RMIT University, updated the audience on the latest developments at school, including a relaunch of the press hall with $700,000 of upgrades, including compliance with best practices and OHS improvements for its 365 students.
The LIA Graduates Awards in Victoria are sponsored by Heidelberg, BJ Ball Inks, Bottcher and Kodak.
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