NSW Training Awards 2023 “Student of the Year” Winner

APC is thrilled to announce APC graduate, Sarah Sgroi, is the Western Sydney & Blue Mountains Regional Winner of this year’s NSW Training Awards

What are the NSW Training Awards?

The NSW Training Awards are run by the NSW Department of Education and recognise the outstanding achievements of students, teachers, trainers, training organisations and employers in the vocational education sector.

They allow individuals to be nominated within several categories, to later be shortlisted and interviewed. Once passed the interviews, all finalists are invited to attend the awards night where the official winner is announced.

Meet Sarah, APC Diploma graduate and award winner!

By now you may be asking why Sarah took home the award amongst lots of amazing student nominees, and it’s a valid question to ask too!

Before nominating students for the award, APC’s Student Success Team and Trainers & Assessors group together to highlight students who stood out from the crowd during their enrolment. We cover many bases such as a student’s manner, their skillset and more. 

APC’s Training and Assessment Manager, Jaime Wallis, said,

Sarah was an active participant in discussions and demonstrated a higher level of understanding and was clearly driven to understand how things work (during Clinical Workshops). Her caring nature and personality allowed her to work well with others in the team setting and she would often assist those less experienced or less confident than herself. Sarah brought a great sense of comradery to the classroom and was a beacon of light for her fellow students…”

Sarah - NSW Training Awards.

Jackie McCudden, APC’s Student Success Team Leader, also shared,

“Sarah was always professional in all her dealings with employees and students at APC. She proved eager and diligent in completing the Diploma of Emergency Health Care, through the challenges of COVID-19 and juggling motherhood.”

APC course: HLT51020 – Diploma of Emergency Health Care

Sarah enrolled into APC’s HLT51020 Diploma of Emergency Healthcare (formerly HLT51015 Diploma of Paramedical Science) in 2022, having been passionate about healthcare for years. She was a stay-at-home mum, meaning APC’s flexible courses were essential as they allowed her to study during whatever free time she had left.

We’re delighted to share a few quotes from Sarah that personally stood out to us, proving why she is so deserving of both the nomination and the award too:

“Whilst I have always been passionate about a career in the healthcare sector, the experience of studying in this field taught me that science and mathematics were not something I was naturally good at. It taught me that this Diploma wasn’t going to be a walk in the park, and I needed to put the work in to come out the other side victorious…

…I’ve gained friendships that will last a lifetime, re-learnt how to learn, and solidified my practical skillsets during Clinical Workshops before gaining invaluable experiences in Clinical Placement. All this led to the commencement of my career with NSW Ambulance as an on-road Trainee Paramedic just one week after my graduation. I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

Sarah’s story is proof to us and our students that no matter who you are, how old or young you might be, or your level of intelligence, nothing should stop you from pursuing your dreams. Not only can you go after the career you’ve always wanted, but you can be one of the best in the state whilst doing it!

Why are the NSW Training Awards important?

At APC, we want to recognise greatness and support every student who studies with us!  This is why we select a few students each year to be nominated for the award. Students can choose to participate, the choice is entirely theirs, however it allows us to celebrate not only their graduation but their successes afterwards too. With such a diverse cohort of students, we acknowledge and commend the different pathways they each wish to take, and believe it inspires others to not hold back and follow their career dreams too. Doubts can be made of “I’m too old, too young, not smart enough or just too scared!”

By sharing success stories such as Sarah’s, and proving all these doubts are often false, makes the world of a difference for people who are considering exploring this career pathway too and feel the same sense of uncertainty.

Do you want to pursue your dream career?

Not only is APC Australia’s leading specialist college for pre-hospital emergency and non-emergency healthcare, what we are truly passionate about is helping people receive a quality education to not only help save lives but change their life too.

Our courses have helped over 1000 students in pursuing the career they have always wanted, a feat that we are incredibly proud of. Whilst we would love to take the credit, it comes down to the students that enrol with us and the determination they show.

If you’re not a student yet but resonate with Sarah’s story, why not contact us today to apply?

To Sarah, thank you for being you, and the best of luck in the State Interviews!

What is your career journey?

To discover how you can become a fully qualified Ambulance Paramedic or Basic/Advanced Life Support Medic, complete a personalised paramedical career development plan.