Luke Curlewis nominated for NSW Training Apprentice of the Year

Luke Curlewis left the Army to become an apprentice electrician in the hope of starting his own business and now he is a NSW Training Apprentice of the Year nominee.

He was once responsible for training hundreds of personnel to prepare for the Defence Force but returning to the classroom as a mature-age student at the age of 34 was one of “the most daunting experiences” of Luke Curlewis’ life.

After holding several leadership roles in the Army, Mr Curlewis’ dreams shifted to completing a trade and owning his own company. And pursuing his new dream has paid off for the industrial electrician, scoring a nomination for NSW Training Apprentice of the Year after completing his Certificate III in Electrotechnology – Electrician.

NSW Training Apprentice of the Year nominee Luke Curlewis (left) with his mentor Mark Ottaway.

And pursuing his new dream has paid off for the industrial electrician, scoring a nomination for NSW Training Apprentice of the Year after completing his Certificate III in Electrotechnology – Electrician.

He joined Ausbright Electrical Systems to complete his apprenticeship with TAFE NSW, working on the Royal Australian Navy’s warships. “I’d definitely recommend vocational training, you’re on the job all the time so it’s not like going to uni where you’re taught in the classroom and then you’re thrown into the world of it,” Mr Curlewis, of Collaroy, said.

His mentor Ausbright director Mark Ottaway said: “He took a risk by leaving his career while living in Sydney and having a young family but he had a goal in place and he made it happen.”

To vote for the People’s Choice winner in the NSW Training Awards go to https://www.training.nsw.gov.au/peoples-choice