NOONAN WINNING ON AND OFF THE TRACK IN VICTORIA
PROMISING apprentice jockey, Jake Noonan, is riding winners both on and off the track with his latest victory being the title of Victorian School-based Apprentice of the Year presented by Skills Victoria.
Noonan, 16, was presented with a cheque for $10,000 for his feats at a ceremony held at Palladium at Crown recently.
Assessment criteria for the Award was based on the student’s career and study achievements, communication, team and leadership skills, other pursuits and the student’s ability to represent the National Training System at a broader level. Noonan received an almost perfect score of 19 out of 20 and was chosen as the winner above a number of apprentices across a wide range of industry sectors.
He will now go on to represent Victoria in the 2009 Australian Training Awards to be held in November.
Noonan is apprenticed to his father Tony Noonan and is one of nine aspiring jockeys participating in Certificate IV in Racing as part of the 2009 intake at Racing Victoria Limited and uniquely continuing his VCE studies at Padua College on the Mornington Peninsula.
Noonan said, “It’s a great honour to be voted as the Victorian school-based apprentice of the year. I was up against hundreds of applicants and to know that the judges found my apprenticeship and career path the most interesting was such a great thrill for me.
“Obviously at times it gets hard to do both, but my school is very flexible and so is Dad. I get to go to the races once or twice a week and the rest is for school so it all balances out.”
Chief Executive Officer of the Victorian Jockeys Association Des O’Keefe said that Noonan was proving to be a great ambassador and role model for other young men and women looking to commence a career in racing.
“We congratulate Jake for successfully combining the job requirements of an apprentice jockey while continuing his formal education and are delighted that his efforts have been recognised through being awarded Victorian School-based Apprentice of the Year," O’Keefe said.
Racing Victoria Limited’s Chief Executive Officer Rob Hines said, “We wish Jake all the best when he goes on to represent Victoria and the racing industry at a National level.”
RACING VICTORIA MEDIA RELEASE
Media Contact: Rebecca Elliott – PR Co-ordinator