The award was presented at a gala dinner at the Adelaide Convention Centre where the State recognised a range of training and apprenticeship achievements.

It is the highest award possible for a student apprentice.

College principal, Mr Damien Judd, said the College was extremely proud of Ricky's achievements and he said Ricky's win highlighted the extra attention and time that the college is able to give to its apprentices.

The college's collaboration with local TAFEs was also a key factor in the win.

Ricky works as a student diesel mechanic apprentice in Port Pirie for Spencer Gulf Coaches.

Mr Judd said the College has been nominated for a variety of awards ranging from community projects to individual awards such as Ricky's.

The College was also linked to two other awards won recently by local companies and people.

Whyalla's Action Engineering won the Australian Government's 2008 Minister's Awards for Excellence for Employers of Australian Apprentices for the South Australian Country region.

Travelling to Canberra to accept the award was general manager, Greg Clothier who said Action Engineering has a deliberate and strategic plan to ensure it has a secure pipeline of apprentices.

Action encourages its Trade Assistants to become tradespeople and current tradespeople are encouraged to up-skill.

Now with over 67 employees, Action employs around 11 apprentices and has 100 per cent retention of apprentices in the past six years.

Many of these apprentices come via the Australian Technical College.

Something that Mr Clothier says is vital to its operation and regular supply of new apprentices.

Alan Tidswell, the General Manager of Human Resources of another Australian Technical College partner company, Onesteel, also won a TAFESA Gold Medal for non TAFE employee contribution to TAFESA, on the same night.

Onesteel works very closely in a range of projects with the Australian Technical College, and aside from hiring many of its students, the two organisations collaborate with many other organisations to create the highly successful GetSET program both in Whyalla and Port Augusta.