Miss Fishlock was announced as the runner-up Apprentice of the Year at the Australian Training Award in Hobart on November 19, something she said would allow her to be an ambassador for vocational education and training.

“There’s still a bit of a stigma, university versus apprenticeships,” Miss Fishlock said.

“Apprenticeship kind of seems like a lesser education, but you can do anything with an apprenticeship that you can do through university.

“They want people to see that.”

After being nominated by their employers, Miss Fishlock and fellow Katherinite Raymond Fordimail won their respective categories at the Northern Territory Training Awards to earn themselves a place on the national stage in Hobart.

“The awards weren’t until the end of August,” Ms Fishlock said.

“It was the longest most excruciating wait.”

The Saturday before national awards, the NT winners caught up in Darwin before making the trek to Tasmania. 

After arriving in Hobart on November 16, the next day was spent registering ahead of the interview process on November 17.

Miss Fishlock admitted a case of nerves in the lead-up to the gala event.

“Northern Territory was first in every category, so we were like, just get it done,” Miss Fishlock said.

“We had a half-an-hour interview with our four judges, then spent the rest of the day trying to forget how nervous we are and remember all the things we should have said but didn’t.”

Having completed her four-year apprenticeship, Miss Fishlock said she could easily advance her knowledge or “move into fields that I didn’t consider when I first signed up for my apprenticeship”.

“I’ve working with all these other industries through my apprenticeship,” she said.

“Where as, if I’d studied electrical engineering at uni, then all I’d know is electrical engineering.”