Small Employer of the Year

The TriStar Group was established in 2020 with Daimler Trucks Wagga and Daimler Trucks Albury. The organisation has a clear goal to build a trusted business by developing its people, supporting its customers, and continuously improving operations. This commitment is personal for Managing Director David Warren, who began his professional career in the industry as an apprentice and experienced first-hand the impact and benefits of training pathways. That experience shaped his belief that people succeed when they are given the right training, guidance and opportunities.
At the heart of the company’s culture is a simple mantra: they care, and they make it happen. Across its operations, TriStar Group invests in mentoring, hands-on development, online training for all staff, and structured Daimler Truck Technical training pathways. The organisation helps its team understand their pathways and progress with confidence. It believes in growing its people by supporting them to build capability, develop new skills, and become future leaders. Its focus remains on its people in an industry where technology is evolving and delivering outcomes for customers, the industry, regional business, and communities.

Griffith Preschool Kindergarten is a long-standing, community-based, not-for-profit preschool that has provided high-quality early childhood education to children and families in Griffith, NSW, for more than 70 years. As a regional service, it recognises the challenges of workforce shortages and limited access to training opportunities and has developed an innovative approach to vocational education and training to help address these challenges.
Training is embedded within the service's culture and operations, with investment in staff development, mentoring, study support and professional learning. Through partnerships with training organisations, structured workplace learning, and tailored development pathways, Griffith Preschool Kindergarten supports educators at all stages of their careers.
This commitment has resulted in strong workforce retention, career progression opportunities and enhanced outcomes for children and families. By developing skilled educators and supporting future workforce pathways, Griffith Preschool Kindergarten is strengthening the broader early childhood sector across the Griffith community.
At Griffith Preschool Kindergarten, they don't just train educators. they build futures, strengthen communities, and create lasting change, one educator, one child, and one opportunity at a time.

NGNU is a majority Aboriginal owned property development, project management and development advisory business with national reach and a strong First Nations purpose. The team brings hands on delivery experience across client side, construction, design, procurement, superintendency, contract management and strategic advisory roles.
NGNU works across commercial, workplace, residential, education, defence, community, remedial, hospitality, and cultural projects, supporting clients from early scoping and business case development through to approvals, procurement, delivery, handover, and asset management. Its capability is grounded in practical buildability advice, strong governance, risk management, and a thorough understanding of how projects are delivered. NGNU’s portfolio includes major projects for clients such as Telstra, Westpac, PVH Brands, Defence, NSW Government agencies, universities, Aboriginal organisations, and community partners.
Alongside technical delivery, NGNU invests in community initiatives, cadet pathways, volunteering, grants, and First Nations engagement to create social outcomes that extend beyond the project for clients, partners, and communities across Australia.