Mingenew student Sean Brindal earns top vocational education award for business acumen

A Mingenew student who just graduated from Hale School in Perth has earned a State prize for his business skills and achievements. Sean Brindal received the Vocational Education and Training award for Business and Financial Services at the recent WACE Awards, which honoured the high-achieving Year 12s of 2022. Sean earned a Certificate III in Events and Certificate 2 in Business in Year 11. In Year 12, Sean took part in Authority Developed Workplace Learning, spending one day a week at Western Power’s stakeholder and communications team and finishing with a very positive reference from his supervisor. Sean was one of three WA students to win the award. “I was very proud when I found out that I received a certificate of excellence as it meant that all the hard work I had put in over the past two years was recognised by SCSA (School Curriculum and Standards Authority),” Sean said. “It also acknowledges that there are alternative ways of achieving success other than the ATAR pathway. “The experience you gain in the VET pathway can greatly assist your employability straight out of school.” Hale School’s director of curriculum Raymond Hill congratulated Sean on this recognition. “Sean’s Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) certificates of a Certificate II in Business and Certificate III in Events, combined with two years of outstanding work placement with Western Power and excellent course results, ensured he secured this State award,” he said. Sean will take on a business traineeship with Western Power in 2023, where he will be working mainly in the human resources department.