18 DECEMBER 2025
Evangelene (Evie) Rushforth, an apprentice at our GEMCO operation, has been named the 2025 Apprentice of the Year at the Australian Training Awards - a national recognition that celebrates the very best emerging talent in vocational training.
Earlier this year, Evie won the Northern Territory Training Awards Apprentice of the Year and proudly represented GEMCO during the Australian Training Awards Ambassador Week in the lead-up to the national event, which was attended by more than 700 guests at the Darwin Convention Centre.
“I know we have a lot of people and businesses here who hire new apprentices and I just wanted to say thank you,” Evie shared in her award acceptance speech. “You have no idea how life-changing it can be to find something you love to do and what a difference it can make for someone like me, who lacked direction and purpose,” she said.
Evie’s path into engineering was not traditional. Four years ago, she was three years into a Bachelor of Law and Arts degree when she realised it wasn’t what she wanted. Looking for purpose, hands-on work, and a career that offered growth, she made a life-changing decision to leave university and explore new possibilities.
A solo road trip across Australia led her to Darwin, where she completed a Certificate II in Horticulture and Conservation, uncovering her preference for practical work over desk-based roles. This shift sparked the courage to pursue an apprenticeship that would challenge and develop her.
Evie then went on to complete a Certificate III in Engineering - Mechanical Trade at Charles Darwin University, while employed by GTNT and hosted to GEMCO.
“Well done, Evangelene. I know you have studied and worked incredibly hard to get to where you are today,” said Robyn Ryan, Vice President Operations at GEMCO.
The Hon Andrew Giles MP, Minister for Skills and Training, was present at the gala event and offered his congratulations.
“I congratulate Apprentice of the Year Evangelene Rushforth, who has an incredible story of her journey through tertiary education. Now, as a qualified mechanical fitter, she’s playing her part in our country’s future success,” he said.
This award is the most outstanding achievement in Vocational Education and Training (VET) in Australia and is testament to Evie’s hard work and passion for what she does, the industry, and our business. Now a qualified mechanical fitter, she hopes to continue to expand her skills and take on leadership roles in the engineering industry.