Maritime trainee Gerard Dennis, who is originally from Walgett, said he was shocked with the announcement. 

“I didn’t expect it but I am honored,” he said. 

“I love what I do but it was nice to be recognised. I didn’t know I was getting it until the night.

“It is for my commitment to the job.

“I hope it opens the eyes of other young Indigenous people and they realise, if they work hard, they can exceed in their dreams. I say to them, dream big.” 

Mr Dennis was an oyster farmer and wanted to get out of the industry. 

During his 2-year trainee ship he has rotated through boating safety and education, environmental services and product services. 

“I enjoyed the boating side the most,” he said. 

“I get to to that a fair bit. At the moment, I am doing the mooring and paperwork side of things.”

As well as the employee of the year, Mr Dennis received an achievement award from Moruya TAFE, a transport and logistic student of the year award and an ambassadors award. 

He hopes the awards open up pathways for employment after his traineeship ends in November. 

Mr Dennis said his family was proud. 

Principal Manager of Maritime boating operations for the southern region Mike Hammond nominated Mr Dennis for the award and said it was “well deserved”. 

“He is a hard, dedicated worker,” he said. 

“It was a surprise to him and to me to. I nominated him to show my support and I thought that itself would be a good achievement. It was terrific that he got it.

“He is really passionate about what we do in terms of promoting boating safety and he has showed he has great skills.”

Mr Hammond said Mr Dennis was the first trainee in the southern team.

“The aim of the program is to equip Indigenous people for a career in the maritime industry. Not necessarily with us but as commercial skippers or whatever it may be. 

“We have taught them things, but they also teach us a lot and that has been true in Gerard’s case.

“He is a great part of our team and I have gone to him for advice on things to do with Indigenous communities. 

“It has been a two-way street and we have all benefited.”

Mr Hammond said he would love to be able to keep Mr Dennis and offer him a job when his traineeship ends in November but it wasn’t likely. 

“Government staffing is pretty tightly controlled so you can’t just create new positions,” he said. 

“That is the hard part of it. I would love to see him get a full time job and make a career in the maritime industry. If it can’t be with us, I would love it to be with a local charter operator or someone who could put him to work.”