Categories and eligibility

This page has information on the Northern Territory Training Awards (NTTA) categories and the eligibility for each category.

Individual categories

The following categories are for individuals.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year

This award recognises the achievement of an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander student who displays a strong understanding and knowledge of the vocational education and training (VET) system and demonstrates the relevance of lifelong learning for themselves and their community.

To be eligible, you must:

Be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident of Australia.
Identify as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent.
Meet the criteria of one of the following:
Have completed or be due to complete your VET training in a course within the NT that leads to a nationally recognised outcome or qualification in the period 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025.
Meet NT Training Award and Australian Training Awards conditions of entry.
Ensure availability for compulsory attendance event dates.

Get the nomination guide for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year DOCX (371.8 KB).

Eligible winners of aligned state and territory training awards are automatically nominated to the Australian Training Awards. These nominations must understand and agree to the Australian Training Awards Conditions of Entry as well as meeting the specific eligibility requirements for the award category.

Austin Asche Apprentice of the Year

This award is presented to an individual who is undertaking an apprenticeship and has been outstanding in all aspects of their training.

To be eligible, you must:

Be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident of Australia.
Have a Contract of Training registered with the Northern Territory State Training Authority.
Have completed or be due to complete your training in the period 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025 in a training course that leads to a nationally recognised outcome or qualification relevant to the award you are applying for.
Meet NT Training Award and Australian Training Awards conditions of entry.
Ensure availability for compulsory attendance event dates.
a Contract of Training registered with the Northern Territory State Training Authority

Get the nomination guide for the Austin Asche Apprentice of the Year Award DOCX (131.3 KB).

If you are unable to provide proof of descent, or you are still the process of acquiring this documentation, we will accept a signed statutory declaration PDF (587.9 KB).

School-based Apprentice or Trainee of the Year

The Australian School-based Apprentice or Trainee of the Year Award is presented
to a student who is undertaking a Certificate II or above qualification as a part-time Australian School-based Apprenticeship or Traineeship. The Award recognises the student’s commitment to their formal studies at school and in the workplace.

To be eligible, you must:

Be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident of Australia.
Have a Contract of Training registered with the Northern Territory State Training Authority.
Be enrolled at an NT school at time of nomination*.
Have completed or be due to complete a Certificate II or above qualification through an Australian school-based apprenticeship or traineeship in the period 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025.
Meet NT Training Award and Australian Training Awards conditions of entry.
Ensure availability for compulsory attendance event dates.

*If no longer at school at the time of nomination, they may be eligible for the apprentice, trainee or vocational student award

Get the nomination guide for the School-based Apprentice or Trainee of the Year DOCX (139.5 KB).

Trainee of the Year

The Trainee of the Year Award is presented to an individual who is
undertaking a traineeship and has been outstanding in all aspects of their training.

To be eligible, you must:

Be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident of Australia.
Have a Contract of Training registered with the Northern Territory State Training Authority.
Have completed or be due to complete your training in the period 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025 in a training course that leads to a nationally recognised outcome or qualification relevant to the award you are applying for.
Meet NT Training Award and Australian Training Awards conditions of entry.
Ensure availability for compulsory attendance event dates.

Get the nomination guide for the Trainee of the Year DOCX (153.1 KB).

Winners of aligned state and territory training awards are automatically nominated to the Australian Training Awards. These nominations must understand and agree to the Australian Training Awards Conditions of Entry as well as meeting the specific eligibility requirements for the award category.

VET for Secondary Schools Student of the Year

The VET for Secondary Schools Student of the Year Award is presented to a Year 11 or 12 school student undertaking accredited vocational education and training as part of their NTCET studies. This Award recognises the students commitment to their formal studies at school.

To be eligible, you must:

Be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident of Australia.
Have completed or are due to complete at least 50% of your vocational education and training course at a NT secondary school between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025.
Be undertaking accredited vocational education and training as part of their NTCET studies.
Not be undertaking a School-based Apprenticeship or Traineeship.
Be enrolled in year 11 or year 12 at an NT school at time of nomination.
Meet NT Training Award conditions of entry.
Ensure availability for compulsory attendance event dates.

Get the nomination guide for the VET for Secondary Schools Student of the Year DOCX (134.4 KB).

The VET for Secondary Students of the Year award does not proceed through to the Australian Training Awards.

VET Teacher/Trainer of the Year

The VET Teacher/Trainer of the Year Award will recognise innovation and excellence by a teacher/trainer providing nationally recognised training to students at a registered training organisation (RTO), or in partnership with an RTO.

To be eligible, you must:

Be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident of Australia.
Be an NT resident during the time of your delivery.
Be a qualified teacher or trainer (as determined by the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015) who is employed by an RTO or regularly contracted by an RTO
Have delivered training between 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2025, which has led or will lead to nationally recognised qualifications or Statements of Attainment under the Australian Qualifications Framework.
Be endorsed by the RTO and evidence of qualification must be submitted with the nomination.
Meet NT Training Award and Australian Training Awards conditions of entry.
Ensure availability for compulsory attendance event dates.

Get the nomination guide for the VET Teacher / Trainer of the Year DOCX (124.2 KB).

Vocational Student of the Year

The Vocational Student of the Year Award recognises outstanding achievement by a vocational student in a course of study leading to a nationally recognised qualification.

To be eligible, you must:

Be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident of Australia.
Residing in the NT during the undertaking of you NT delivered course.
Be a vocational education and training student but not an Australian Apprentice (apprentice or trainee).
Have completed or be due to complete your training in the period 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025 in a training course that leads to a nationally recognised outcome or qualification relevant to the award you are applying for.
Meet NT Training Award and Australian Training Awards conditions of entry.
Ensure availability for compulsory attendance event dates.

Get the nomination guide for the Vocational Student of the Year Award DOCX (116.8 KB).

Business categories

The following categories are for businesses.

Industry Collaboration Award

The Industry Collaboration Award recognises an exemplary skills development collaboration between at least one employer/industry body and at least one organisation delivering nationally recognised training.

To be eligible, the collaboration must:

All organisations must be registered in Australia, with an Australian Business Number
Have at least one party who is an industry organisation (e.g. employer, enterprise, group of enterprises, industry association, industry advisory body, trade union or professional association).
Have at least one party who is delivering nationally recognised vocational education and training or directly contributing to the outcomes of nationally recognised vocational education and training which leads to formal qualifications or Statements of Attainment under the Australian Qualifications Framework.
Have at least one party who is a Territory Enterprise that satisfies all three elements of the definition:
- operating in the Northern Territory (NT) - the enterprise is currently engaged in productive activities (e.g. production of goods or delivery of services) within the NT
- significant permanent presence - the enterprise maintains an office, manufacturing facilities or other permanent base within the NT
- employing NT residents - the enterprise employs Territorians (an enterprise which relies exclusively on transient, interstate/international labour or a fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) workforce will not satisfy this element).
Meet NT Training Award and Australian Training Awards conditions of entry.
Ensure availability for compulsory attendance event dates.

Note: Organisations must demonstrate a genuine and shared agreement (either formal or informal) to cooperate and work together for mutual benefit. Collaborations typically will not include transactional or service delivery arrangements or partnerships where financial and cost arrangements are a defining characteristic.

Note: Nominations will not be accepted from organisations operating under a contractual 'partnership' agreement.

2025 state or territory Award winners of this category are nominated to enter a short-listing process to the Australian Training Awards. The original application of the winners already address the award criteria below and are automatically submitted to the Australian Training Awards by the state or territory training awards. These nominations must understand and agree to the Australian Training Awards Conditions of Entry as well as meeting the specific eligibility requirements for the award category.

Get the nomination guide for the Industry Collaboration of the Year Award DOCX (89.8 KB).

Large Employer of the Year

The Large Employer of the Year Award recognises large businesses and enterprises that have achieved excellence in the provision of nationally recognised training to their employees.

Nationally recognised training refers to training that is based on a national training package or accredited course which results in a person receiving a formal qualification or Statement of Attainment issued by a Registered Training Organisation. This includes Australian Apprenticeships.

To be eligible, you must:

All organisations must be registered in Australia, with an Australian Business Number
Deliver nationally recognised vocational education and training to their employees that leads to formal qualifications or Statements of Attainment issued by a Registered Training Organisation under the Australian Qualifications Framework
Employ 100 or more full-time equivalent (FTE) employees
Have at least one party who is a Territory Enterprise that satisfies all three elements of the definition:
operating in the Northern Territory (NT) - the enterprise is currently engaged in productive activities (e.g. production of goods or delivery of services) within the NT
significant permanent presence - the enterprise maintains an office, manufacturing facilities or other permanent base within the NT
employing NT residents - the enterprise employs Territorians (an enterprise which relies exclusively on transient, interstate/international labour or a fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) workforce will not satisfy this element).
Meet NT Training Award and Australian Training Awards conditions of entry.
Ensure availability for compulsory attendance event dates.

Note: Joint applications are accepted from a partnership between a single Host Employer and a Group Training Organisation. Host Employers or Group Training Organisations who nominate for the award are required to have their partner agree to the nomination, however there is no requirement to jointly write the nomination.

Note: Nominations will not be accepted from organisations whose core business is the delivery of vocational education and training (these organisations may consider nominating for either the Large or Small Training Provider of the Year Award).

Get the nomination guide for the Large Employer of the Year DOCX (91.2 KB).

Eligible 2025 state or territory Award winners of this category enter a short-listing process to the Australian Training Awards (ATA), however, only organisations with a head office in the state or territory that have nominated for will be eligible for ATA consideration. If you operate in the NT but your head office is in QLD this means you are eligible to win the NTTA but won’t be eligible to proceed to ATA. The original application of the winners already address the award criteria below and are automatically submitted to the Australian Training Awards by the state or territory training awards. These nominations must understand and agree to the Australian Training Awards Conditions of Entry as well as meeting the specific eligibility requirements for the award category.

Large Training Provider of the Year

The Large Training Provider of the Year Award recognises large registered training organisations (RTOs) that offer a range of training products and services and that demonstrate excellence and high-level
performance in all aspects of vocational education and training.

To be eligible, you must:

Have 500 or more students enrolled at the time of nomination, as reported by RTOs in the most recent annual National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) data collection period.
Be a registered training organisation (RTO) with their head office in the NT.
Undertake the majority (80%) of their training delivery in the NT.
Your application must only focus on vocational education and training delivered in the NT.
Meet NT Training Award and Australian Training Awards conditions of entry.
Ensure availability for compulsory attendance event dates.

Note: Applicants to the Small Training Provider of the Year Award will be subject to quality assurance checks by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA). The checks will inform the selection process of applicants to this award category.

Get the nomination guide for the Large Training provider of the Year DOCX (92.1 KB).

Small Employer of the Year

The Small Employer of the Year Award recognises small businesses that have achieved excellence in the provision of nationally recognised training to their employees.

To be eligible, you must:

All organisations must be registered in Australia, with an Australian Business Number
Deliver nationally recognised vocational education and training to their employees that leads to formal qualifications or Statements of Attainment issued by a Registered Training Organisation under the Australian Qualifications Framework
Employ 99 or fewer full-time equivalent (FTE) employees
Have at least one party who is a Territory Enterprise that satisfies all three elements of the definition:
operating in the Northern Territory (NT) - the enterprise is currently engaged in productive activities (e.g. production of goods or delivery of services) within the NT
significant permanent presence - the enterprise maintains an office, manufacturing facilities or other permanent base within the NT
employing NT residents - the enterprise employs Territorians (an enterprise which relies exclusively on transient, interstate/international labour or a fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) workforce will not satisfy this element).
Meet NT Training Award and Australian Training Awards conditions of entry.
Ensure availability for compulsory attendance event dates.
Note: Joint applications are accepted from a partnership between a single Host Employer and a Group Training Organisation. Host Employers or Group Training Organisations who nominate for the award are required to have their partner agree to the nomination, however there is no requirement to jointly write the nomination.

Note: Nominations will not be accepted from branch offices of larger enterprises (franchisees may nominate if their training activities are organised independently of the franchise group).

Get the nomination guide for the Small Employer of the Year DOCX (90.7 KB).

Eligible 2025 state or territory Award winners of this category enter a short-listing process to the Australian Training Awards (ATA), however, only organisations with a head office in the state or territory that they have nominated for will be eligible for ATA consideration. If you operate in the NT but your head office is in QLD this means you are eligible to win the NTTA but won’t be eligible to proceed to ATA. The original application of the winners already addresses the award criteria below and are automatically submitted to the Australian Training Awards by the state or territory training awards. These nominations must understand and agree to the Australian Training Awards Conditions of Entry as well as meeting the specific eligibility requirements for the award category.

Small Training Provider of the Year

The Small Training Provider of the Year Award recognises small registered training organisations (RTOs) that offer a range of training products and services and that demonstrate excellence and high-level performance in all aspects of vocational education and training.

To be eligible, you must:

Have fewer than 500 students enrolled at the time of nomination, as reported by RTOs in the most recent annual National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) data collection period.
Be a registered training organisation (RTO) with their head office in the NT.
Undertake the majority (80%) of their training delivery in the NT.
Your application must only focus on vocational education and training delivered in the NT.
Meet NT Training Award and Australian Training Awards conditions of entry.
Ensure availability for compulsory attendance event dates.

Get the nomination guide for the Small Training Provider of the Year DOCX (91.5 KB).

More information about the nomination and eligibility and conditions of entry .

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