In addition to Kandeana Steele’s success, Elmore Enal-anga has recently been notified that he is on the shortlist in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student of the year category for the 2009 South Australian Training Awards.

Elmore is employed by JHI Builders which also has a Building Trades Training Centre that a strong commitment to training, especially for indigenous youth.

Manager Brenton Gambling said he was confident that Elmore would do well, having seen him grow from an insecure, shy and withdrawn young man to one of confidence and self-assurance.

Mr Gambling believed this was due to interaction with his colleagues and community involvement.

“He has come a long way since the day he started his apprenticeship, to the person he has grown to be,” he said.

Elmore, 26, had been part of the Commonwealth Develop-ment Employment Program and was working at a local service station when his work ethics were noticed by Mr Gambling, who offered him a job.

He has since obtained his Trade Certificate 111 in Carpentry and Joinery and in recognition of his commitment to learning he was nominated by his employer for the training awards.

Originally from Alice Springs, Elmore said that his current employer saw a boy from the bush and gave him the opportunity of a lifetime and allowed him to achieve things he would not have otherwise been able to do.

Elmore works with indigenous youth at the Community Centre two to three times a week. He finds this rewarding and talks about their ambitions and their future.

He is also involved with the Revival Fellowship Church which he says has given him the ability to achieve a positive disposition to life.

And what’s more Elmore who is a talented musician, teaches guitar to clients at a local music store.

An impressive achievement for him was when he was asked on two occasions to speak to high school students in Adelaide when he discussed the importance of learning a trade and holding a job successfully.

The dedicated young man met the selection criteria, which are career and study achievements, communication, team and leadership skills, effective oral and written communication, the ability to represent the training system at a broader level and other pursuits or achievement in areas other than study and work.

His employer has mentored four Aboriginal youth from the CDEP program and given them the opportunity of gaining an apprenticeship with full-time employment.