A Bundamba early education worker and a Collingwood Park health support services trainee are among 218 finalists in the Queensland Training Awards.

The annual awards recognise outstanding apprentices, trainees, students, employers, teachers and training projects across the state.

Bundamba MP Lance McCallum congratulated locals Sheree Reilly and Mibaraka Ruhirika on joining 31 other Metropolitan Region finalists.

“Sheree is currently studying a Cert III in Early Childhood Education and Care through our Ipswich TAFE and works with Aussie Kindies Early Learning at North Ipswich,” Mr McCallum said.

“Mibaraka is gaining new qualifications with DIVTEC Training and Further Education, working on a Cert II in Health Support Services.

“As a government we continue to back locals like Sheree and Mibaraka who are upskilling, with last month’s budget including $7 million for the TAFE campus at Bundamba for a Metal Trades Centre expansion and a new Manufacturing and Robotics Centre.

“The awards are a celebration of this vocational education and training industry – a huge supporter of Queensland jobs – and it’s great to see our local community represented once again.”

Minister for Training and Skills Development Di Farmer said Queensland businesses, trainers and employees had continued to find new and innovate ways to work during the COVID pandemic.

“Congratulations to these regional finalists, who are the skilled Queenslanders we need for our economy to continue to bounce back better,” Ms Farmer said.

“The Palaszczuk Government put investing in skills at the heart of our Economic Recovery Plan, and with more than $1 billion in the recent state budget dedicated to training and skills we are delivering on that commitment.”

Metropolitan area winners will be announced online this month, with state winners to be announced at a gala dinner in September.