Australian Vocational Student Prize and the Prime Minister’s Award for Skills Excellence in School

The Australian Vocational Student Prize (AVSP) was introduced in 2005 to promote excellence in vocational education and training (VET) in schools.  The aim of the prize is to reward outstanding students undertaking VET while at school; and to raise awareness of VET in Schools programs and Australian School-based Apprenticeships.

Each year the AVSP rewards up to 500 outstanding Year 12 students who have been nominated by their school principal for demonstrating exceptional skill, commitment and achievement in vocational education and training.  Winning students receive a cash prize of $2,000 and a certificate.  The very best of those students who received an AVSP may, in the same year, receive the Prime Minister's Award for Skills Excellence in School (PM's Award).  Recipients of this prestigious award each receive an additional cash prize of $2,000 and a framed certificate signed by the Prime Minister.

Nomination arrangements for the AVSP have now changed.  In previous years, school principals nominated students in early-to-mid Year 12, on the basis of the student’s achievements up to that point. Students who are due to complete their Year 12 studies at the end of 2008 will now be nominated by their school principals from 13 October 2008. Winners of the 2008 AVSP will be awarded their prizes in early-to-mid 2009. It is anticipated that winners of the 2008 PM’s Award will receive their awards in early June 2008.

More information on the AVSP and PM's Award is available at the Australian Vocational Student Prize and the Prime Minister’s Award for Skills Excellence in School web page.