NESA Awards for Excellence
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2023 AWARD WINNERS
ACHIEVER OF THE YEAR AWARD
JOSEPH PALEY
NOMINATED BY WORKSKIL AUSTRALIA
Award sponsored by JobsBank
Champion Employer of the Year Award
Fruit2Work
nominated by WISE Employment
Australia’s employment services sector is celebrating a Victorian employer that has taken out the 2023 National Employment Services Association (NESA) Award for Employer of the Year. Founded on the belief that everyone deserves a second chance, Fruit2Work focuses on providing employment to people who have been impacted by the justice system.
Award SPONSORED BY READYTECH
Employment Consultant of the Year Award
Hafez Zamani
nominated by APM
Award supported by AWARE SUPER
AWARD FINALISTS 2023
The 2023 NESA Awards for Excellence attracted a record number of nominations, all of which were of very high calibre, making the task for our independent judging panel exceptionally challenging this year!
NESA would like to thank all those who took the time to nominate these worthy nominees, as well as our three judges for their unwavering commitment to the vigilant assessment and deliberation about this year’s excellent group of nominees.
Congratulations to all those nominated!
It is our great pleasure to announce this years finalists...
ACHIEVER OF THE YEAR
AWARD
NATHAN BELL
NOMINATED BY SUREWAY EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING
Award sponsored by JobsBank
ACHIEVER OF THE YEAR
AWARD
JOSEPH PALEY
NOMINATED BY WORKSKIL AUSTRALIA
Award sponsored by JobsBank
ACHIEVER OF THE YEAR
AWARD
THOMAS WRIGHT
NOMINATED BY ASURIA
Award sponsored by JobsBank
Champion Employer
of the Year
Acciona and Ferrovial Joint Venture (AFJV)
nominated by Global Skills
Award sponsored by READYTECH
Champion Employer
of the Year
Fruit2Work
nominated by WISE Employment
Award sponsored by READYTECH
Champion Employer
of the Year
WorkControl Pty Ltd
nominated by Sureway Employment and Training
Award sponsored by READYTECH
Employment Consultant
of the Year
Amanda Baker
NOminated by CoAct Connect + Youth Projects Werribee
Employment Consultant
of the Year
Kirsty Campbell
nominated by IntoJobs
Award sponsored by AWARE SUPER
Employment Consultant
of the Year
Hafez Zamani
nominated by APM
Award sponsored by AWARE SUPER
AWARD winners 2022
ACHIEVER OF THE YEAR
AWARD
Dane Eralp
Nominated by MatchWorks
Victorian woman Dane Eralp always dreamed of a big life. Born profoundly deaf and having English as a second language, the former job seeker has always found communication especially challenging.
Photo caption: The Hon Amanda Rishworth MP, Minister for Social Services, Award Winner Dane Eralp and NESA CEO Sally Sinclair
Award supported by NESA
Champion Employer of the Year Award
NF McDonnell & Sons
Nominated by SYC Limited
Photo caption: Jon Barry, NESA CEO Sally Sinclair, Edel Conroy from Jobsbank and John Martin-Brown SYC Limited
Award supported by Jobsbank
Employment Consultant of the Year Award
Danielle LeCouteur
Nominated by Jobfind
Photo caption: Philip Seubert, Business Development Manager, Aware Super, Award Winner Danielle LeCouteur and NESA CEO Sally Sinclair
Award supported by AWARE SUPER
BRIGHT STAR AWARD
Mikayla Birnie
Nominated by Workways Australia
Photo caption: Philip Seubert, Business Development Manager, Aware Super, Award Winner Mikayla Birnie and NESA CEO Sally Sinclair
Award supported by AWARE SUPER
ACHIEVER OF THE YEAR
AWARD
Dane Eralp
Nominated by MatchWorks
Victorian woman Dane Eralp always dreamed of a big life. Born profoundly deaf and having English as a second language, the former job seeker has always found communication especially challenging.
Photo caption: The Hon Amanda Rishworth MP, Minister for Social Services, Award Winner Dane Eralp and NESA CEO Sally Sinclair
Award supported by NESA
Champion Employer of the Year Award
NF McDonnell & Sons
Nominated by SYC Limited
Photo caption: Jon Barry, NESA CEO Sally Sinclair, Edel Conroy from Jobsbank and John Martin-Brown SYC Limited
Award supported by Jobsbank
Employment Consultant of the Year Award
Danielle LeCouteur
Nominated by Jobfind
Photo caption: Philip Seubert, Business Development Manager, Aware Super, Award Winner Danielle LeCouteur and NESA CEO Sally Sinclair
Award supported by AWARE SUPER
BRIGHT STAR AWARD
Mikayla Birnie
Nominated by Workways Australia
Photo caption: Philip Seubert, Business Development Manager, Aware Super, Award Winner Mikayla Birnie and NESA CEO Sally Sinclair
Award supported by AWARE SUPER
AWARD FINALISTS 2022
ACHIEVER OF THE YEAR
Dane Eralp – nominated by MatchWorks
Francine Pollard – nominated by Asuria
Darren Stokes– nominated by Sureway Employment and Training
Champion Employer of the Year
Multhana – nominated by MAX
NF McDonnell & Sons – nominated by SYC Limited
A & A Electroplaters – nominated by Jobfind
Employment Consultant of the Year
Amie Fazekas – nominated by Sureway Employment & Training
Danielle LeCouteur – nominated by Jobfind
Di McIntyre – nominated by Asuria
Mikayla Birnie – nominated by Workways Australia
AWARD WINNERS 2021
ACHIEVER OF THE YEAR
AWARD
JASCINTA JONES
NOMINATED BY ATWORK AUSTRALIA
Ms Jones is an Indigenous woman who has shown admirable resilience and determination in overcoming several personal setbacks to move strongly toward her own employment goals. Her achievements serve as an inspiration to others…
Award supported by NESA
Champion Employer of the Year Award
ANGIE'S DOMESTIC DUTIES
HELP EMPLOYMENT & TRAINING
Angie’s Domestic Duties is a professional cleaning business that has been built from a single person enterprise by ownermanager Angela Brown, armed with just a mop, a bucket and determination. Angela now employs 40 staff, including 15 permanent part-time and 25 casual staff. At the heart of Angela’s business is the philosophy that everyone who wants to work deserves the opportunity to do so…
Award supported by Jobsbank
Employment Consultant of the Year Award
EMILY MARKHAM
NOMINATED BY MATCHWORKS
Award supported by AWARE SUPER
INNOVATION IN DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT
GradWISE Team
(nominated by WISE Employment Ltd
Award supported by JOBACCESS
AWARD WINNERS 2019
Champion Employer of the Year Award
Hume Doors and Timber (Victoria)
Nominated by WISE Employment
Photo caption: Deputy Secretary Nathan Smyth, Senator the Hon Anne Ruston, Paul Harding Hume Doors Operations Manager and NESA CEO Sally Sinclair
Award supported by the Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business
Employment Consultant of the Year Award
Ms Annie Crasti
Nominated by VERTO
Photo caption: Deputy Secretary Nathan Smyth, Hon Ken Wyatt AM MP, Award winner Annie Crasti, Hume Doors and NESA CEO Sally Sinclair
Award supported by NESA
Bright Star Award
Ms Stephanie Miller
Nominated by PeoplePlus Australia
Photo caption: Deputy Secretary Nathan Smyth, Hon Ken Wyatt AM MP, Award winner Stephanie Miller, NESA CEO Sally Sinclair and Senator the Hon Anne Ruston
Award supported by NESA
Innovation in Disability Employment – Team Award
HELP Employment and Training - Toowoomba
Nominated by HELP Enterprises
Photo caption: Senator the Hon Anne Ruston, Maree McDonald HELP General Manager Employment Services, HELP CEO Greg Luck and NESA CEO Sally Sinclair
Award supported by the Australian Government Job Access
Innovation and Collaboration in Indigenous Employment Award
My Pathway
Self Nomination
Photo caption: Hon Ken Wyatt AM MP, My Pathway CEO Paul Synnott, NESA CEO Sally Sinclair and Paul Licuria CEO alffie
Award supported by alffie
Achiever of the Year Award
Mr Abu Zahih Wahidi
Nominated by Advanced Personnel Management (APM)
Photo caption: Senator the Hon Anne Ruston, Deputy Secretary Nathan Smyth, Achiever of the Year Winner Abu Zahih Wahidi and NESA CEO Sally Sinclair
Award supported by the Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business
Excellence in Indigenous Employment
Workskil Indigenous
Nominated by Workskil
Photo caption: Deputy Secretary Nathan Smyth, Workskil Clinton Scott, Workkil National Business Development Manager Alex Apostolakis, Hon Ken Wyatt AM MP and NESA CEO Sally Sinclair
Award supported by the Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business
AWARD FINALISTS 2019
Champion Employer of the Year
Hume Doors and Timber (VIC), for their outstanding work particularly with people with disability – nominated by WISE Employment
Bindaree Food Group, for their openness to workforce diversity and providing opportunities for the most disadvantaged jobseekers – nominated by Enterprise & Training Company (ETC)
Stellar, for offering employment opportunities to the long-term unemployed, mature age jobseekers and people with disability – nominated by atWork Australia
Employment Consultant of the Year Award
Ulladulla’s Clare Keith, nominated by Konekt Employment
Cowra’s Annie Crasti, nominated by VERTO
Moree’s Stephanie Miller, nominated by PeoplePlus Australia
Mansfield’s Sue Jerrerd, nominated by Sureway Employment and Training
Innovation in Disability Employment
Collins Food Ltd., MAX Employer Business Centre and MAX Health Services, for working together to assure work-ready environments for people with disability – nominated by MAX Employment
Help Employment and Training, Toowoomba, for its highly effective response to a disenfranchised cohort of people with disability – nominated by HELP Enterprises
WISE Employment (South Australia) and Esher House, for a behavioural science-driven approach to maximising participant engagement – nominated by WISE Employment
Innovation and Collaboration in Indigenous Employment Award
My Pathway, for helping to bring remote employment projects under local community control – nominated by My Pathway
Special Projects, for broad reaching collaboration in addressing the barriers facing Indigenous job seekers – nominated by Maxima Joblink
David Maxey-Fisher, for his outstanding work with the Indigenous Community Access Program (ICAP) in the Bundaberg area – nominated by IMPACT Community Services (a CoAct member)
Achiever of the Year
Arron Little, from Girrawheen, WA – nominated by atWork Australia
Jessie Abrahams, from Corio, VIC – nominated by MatchWorks
Abu Zahih Wahidi, from Merrylands, NSW – nominated by Advanced Personnel Management (APM)
Excellence in Indigenous Employment
Workskil Indigenous (team), for their work across regional and metropolitan NSW, SA, WA and Victoria – nominated by Workskil Australia
Sarina Isles, for her outstanding results in Adelaide North – nominated by Advanced Personnel Management (APM)
Chris Delamont, for his inspirational dedication in the Geelong region – nominated by MatchWorks
2018 Award Winners
Champion Employer of the Year Award
Latitude
Nominated by atWork Australia, Mount Hawthorn, WA
Photo caption: Martin Hehir, Deputy Secretary Department of Jobs and Small Business, Peter Lang, Co-founder Latitude and Sally Sinclair, CEO NESA.
SUPPORTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS
Employment Consultant of the Year Award
Deidre Hindmarsh
Sureway Employment and Training, Wagga Wagga, NSW
Photo caption: Sally Sinclair, CEO NESA and Employment Consultant of the Year Winner, Deidre Hindmarsh, Sureway Employment and Training.
SUPPORTED BY NESA
Excellence in Collaboration Award
Sodexo, South Metropolitan TAFE and atWork Australia
nominated by atWork Australia, Mount Hawthorn, WA
Photo caption: Philip Seubert, Manager Business Acquisition Sunsuper, Jay Jepsen, HR Business Partner Sodexo, Marie Meardi, Manager Commercial Projects South Metropolitan TAFE and Peter Blitz, Operations Manager atWork Australia.
SUPPORTED BY SUNSUPER
Innovation in Disability Employment – Team Award
Tradco Pty Ltd
nominated by The Royal Society of the Blind, Adelaide, SA
Photo caption: Gerrard Gosens OAM 2018 Patron, International Day of People with Disability, Steve Bradley, Director Tradco Pty Ltd and Sally Sinclair, CEO NESA.
SUPPORTED BY THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT – JOBACCESS
Innovation in Indigenous Employment Award
Team Maroubra
Nominated by PeoplePlus, Maroubra, NSW
Photo caption: Sally Sinclair, CEO NESA, Malcolm Quigg, Branch Manager PeoplePlus and Senator the Hon Zed Seselja.
SUPPORTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS
Achiever of the Year Award
Josephine Willcox
Nominated by My Pathway, Launceston, TAS
Photo caption: Achiever of the Year Winner Josephine Willcox.
SUPPORTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS
2018 Award Finalists
Champion Employer of the Year
Bureau Veritas
nominated by atWork Australia
Mount Hawthorn, WA
James Hardie
nominated by BUSY At Work
Southport, QLD
Latitude
nominated by atWork Australia
Mount Hawthorn, WA
Employment Consultant of the Year
Deidre Hindmarsh
Sureway Employment and Training
Wagga Wagga, NSW
James Alexander
Castle Personnel
Mayfield, NSW
Sara Chehade
Salvation Army Employment Plus
Lilydale, Victoria
Excellence in Collaboration
Cats Match program
nominated by MatchWorks/Geelong Cats Football Club
Geelong, VIC
National Workforce Network
nominated by MatchWorks, Workskil, Global Skills, QITE and Maxima
Narre Warren, VIC
Sodexo, South Metropolitan TAFE and atWork Australia
nominated by atWork Australia
Mount Hawthorn, WA
Innovation in Disability Employment - Team
Tradco Pty Ltd
nominated by The Royal Society of the Blind
Adelaide, SA
McDonalds Mayfield and Industrial Drive
nominated by Castle Personnel PTY LTD
Mayfield, NSW
Jacqualine Fullerton
nominated by Maxima Group
Hindmarsh, SA
Innovation in Indigenous Employment
Kalgoorlie & Bunbury Skill Hire in association with Wirrpanda Foundation
nominated by Skill Hire
Team Maroubra
nominated by PeoplePlus
Maroubra, NSW
Indigenous Civil Construction Program
nominated by Sureway Employment and Training
Wagga Wagga, NSW
Achiever of the Year
Donna Hay
nominated by Interact People Solutions
Dubbo, NSW
Josephine Willcox
nominated by My Pathway
Launceston, Tasmania
Krystal Johnson-Pinner
nominated by atWork Australia
Rockingham, WA
2017 Award Winners
Innovation in Disability Employment Team Award
IMPACT Community Services, Bundaberg
CoAct member
Bright Star Award
Casey Dickinson
Employment Consultant at CoAct Community Solutions, Cannonvale
Award Finalists 2017
Discovery Grant
Jodie Gilliland
General Manager – Compliance, Quality and Practice, Mission Providence
Kate Rose
Regional Manager, MAX Solutions
Nicole Mattsson
State Director, MatchWorks (Karingal)
Amanda Fisher
Regional Manager, BEST Employment
Kylie Hawker
National Manager, Youth Services, Salvation Army Employment Plus
Innovation in Disability Employment Team Award
CROWNability and atWork Australia
EmployAbility by Settlement Services International
Excellence in Indigenous Employment Award
Tina West, Kim Clegg and Lesley England
Community Solutions Proserpine
Champion Employer
Fletcher International Exports
Chandler Macleod
Employment Consultant of the Year
Elsa Toro
MatchWorks
Kellie Reeves
Interact People Solutions
Achiever of the Year
Jack Macale
atWork Australia
Kevin Moor
Artius
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