[Pictured: Award Winners (L-R) - Cooper Chomel, Elijah Hermans, Jordan Dunn, Sean Roberts, Jacinta Bendessi, Nyre Coffee, Amara Scheide]
It was a night of pride, inspiration and celebration as Maxima recognised the achievements of its graduating apprentices, trainees, on-hire workers and host employers at the 2025 Graduation and Awards Night, held on Thursday 9 October in the Panorama Room at the Adelaide Convention Centre. It was a fitting location given that Maxima currently has no fewer than seven apprentices completing their training at the iconic venue.
Hosted by Tom and Callum from Fresh 92.7, the event brought together graduates and workers, families, employers, industry partners and special guests to reflect on another year of growth, opportunity and success. Notably, over the past 12 months, Maxima placed more than 330 apprentices and trainees across Australia. Of these, 36% identified as First Nations and 20% were living with a disability – reflecting our ongoing commitment to creating inclusive employment opportunities for all. In addition, 125 trainees and apprentices successfully completed their qualifications and are now working in the industries they trained for. Now that’s worth celebrating!
The evening began with a Welcome to Country from Kaurna and Narrunga elder Uncle Mickey O’Brien, followed by opening remarks from Maxima CEO Kate Thiele who reflected on the achievements of graduates and award finalists, noting that each story represented ‘perseverance, growth and the transformative impact of opportunity’.
During her address, Stacy Thomas, General Manager of Group Training at Maxima, acknowledged that graduation wasn’t necessarily about recognising the last day of an apprenticeship or traineeship, but rather the first day and beyond – when graduates ‘decided to step up, learn and keep going, even when it got tough.’
There was a strong sense of community and shared pride as graduates crossed the stage to receive their certificates amid applause from family, friends and mentors. Adding to the atmosphere was live music from 18-year-old Adelaide singer-songwriter Zara Chantelle, whose soulful acoustic performance set the tone for a memorable celebration, before a panel discussion got underway.
The panel brought together graduating trainee Amara Scheide from City of Burnside, along with Maxima alumni Kara Prichard and Matthew Sexton, from Mas National and City of Adelaide respectively. They each shared how their traineeship or apprenticeship had helped shape their careers and spoke about learning while earning, the value of support and mentorship, and how these experiences built confidence and opened doors.
Ten major awards were presented on the night, each acknowledging individuals and organisations who have gone above and beyond in their respective fields.
Congratulations to:
- Apprentice/Trainee of the Year (sponsored by Mas National) – Cooper Chomel, DRS Hotels
- School-Based Trainee of the Year (sponsored by Australian College of Commerce & Management) Nyre Coffee, ANZ Gawler
- First Nations Apprentice/Trainee of the Year (sponsored by SYC) – Jacinta Bendessi, Housing Choices
- Construction Industry Apprentice/Trainee of the Year (sponsored by CITB SA) – Elijah Hermans, JCP Facility Services
- Local Government Apprentice/Trainee of the Year (sponsored by LGA South Australia) – Amara Scheide, City of Burnside
- Community-Based Employee of the Year – (Sponsored by Fresh 92.7) Sean Roberts, The ARC Campbelltown
- Labour Hire Employee of the Year (sponsored by Happy Health) – Jordan Dunn, Qantas
- Temporary Employee of the Year (sponsored by Finsbury Green) – Reece Brimble, City of Burnside
- Commitment to Inclusion & Diversity Award (sponsored by Web Safety) – Department for Health and Wellbeing
- Host Employer of the Year (sponsored by Web Safety) – JCP Facility Services
The night concluded with drinks and nibbles as guests mingled and celebrated the achievements of graduates, finalists and award winners.
Thanks to all in attendance for making the 2025 Maxima Graduation and Awards Ceremony a night to remember.
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