Jessica McAuley from Drum Print in WA has won the $15,000 Visual Connections – Lithographic Institute of Australia national scholarship prize awarded at the Queensland PICA awards gala in Brisbane.
Robert Smithers of Dominion Print Group NSW collected the LIA – Printing Industries Future Leaders Award and will enjoy a fully paid trip to next year’s DRUPA trade show in Dusseldorf, Germany.
The national biennial award winners were selected from a field of nine finalists who had already won the Graduate of the Year award for their respective states.
“We are very happy to present these two fantastic awards to the deserving winners and we hope it helps boost their careers within this great industry of ours,” said LIA’s federal president Luke Wooldridge. “The quality of this year’s graduates was first class and there was little separating the contenders.
“Once again it was a privilege to have the support of our sponsors Heidelberg, Printing Industries and Visual Connections for our premier evening. The long term support of the future leaders of our industry is greatly appreciated by both the LIA and the graduates.
“The graduates had a memorable experience in Brisbane with a site tour at the new Platypus Graphics plant in Geebung followed by a cocktail party the night before the PICA’s. It was great to spend some time getting to know these enthusiastic young members of our industry.”
The nine finalists who won their respective Heidelberg State Graduate awards were:
NSW: Carl Weeks, Litho Web, Hannanprint
NSW: Robert Smithers, Litho, Dominion Print Group
QLD: Paul Talbot, Print Finishing, Greenridge Press
SA: Kirsty Sparkhall, Print Graphic Displays
SA: Michael Jelicic, ENO Plastic
VIC: Luke Knox, Abaris Printing
VIC: Robert Mudie, Franklin Printing Group
WA: Bronte Vincent, Community Newspapers
WA: Jessica McAuley, Drum Print