Maddie creates a winning career

On the road to becoming 2020’s Trainee of the Year, Maddison made a conscious choice to kickstart her career. The former CVGT trainee was working in a bakery before embarking on her award-winning traineeship with the City of Greater Bendigo.

“I decided I wanted to do more with my life, starting with a Certificate III in Business Administration, to change my career.  Well, to start my career, I should say. I knew that I wanted to get straight into the workforce with a start in admin.”

That’s when 22-year-old Maddison met Simone from CVGT’s Group Training program.

“Simone helped me through absolutely everything. She was a great mentor who pretty much helped me through my whole traineeship.”

Maddison completed her traineeship in August 2019 and was then offered a permanent customer support role at the City. In March 2020, she got the news that she was the official Trainee of the Year (Non-Trade) in the Industry Excellence Awards.

It was icing on the cake for Maddison, who was still pinching herself at the career progress she’d made.

“It’s been challenging, but it’s gotten me to where I am, which I’m very thankful for. I’m getting to work by myself sometimes, which is amazing. I’m now the one training the trainees. That’s crazy!”

Maddison continues to learn on the job and is loving every moment. She’s got great support in the workplace and is aware that the future dangles a big bunch of opportunities.  

“I’m excited for what the future holds and for how many opportunities there are for me now.”

“Whichever path I want to take, I know that’s now an opportunity, whereas before, I felt that I didn’t have that. I didn’t have the confidence and now I feel like I do. I’ve now got a qualification, and Trainee of the Year, which is even better. It means the absolute world to me.”

Simone knows how hard Maddison has worked, and says she’s a very deserving winner.

“I’m super proud of Maddie and her achievements. I think there’s a lot of opportunities now that she has this award, and I think it will serve her well.

“It’s really the start of her career now. Maddie will do great things with the City of Greater Bendigo who hosted her traineeship and continue to employ her. “CVGT is delighted we could give Maddie the support she needed to get her career underway. It’s fantastic to see what can happen when a young person makes a decision to create change, and puts their hand up for the help to make it happen.”