GRIEVING, studying and working all at once was an emotional and turbulent time in Dascha Harrison's life.
The 17-year-old Newcastle High year 12 student lost her stepmother in a tragic workplace accident at Jesmond two years ago.
To help her heart-broken father, she took on working 38-hour weeks at her supermarket job alongside her school-based apprenticeship and schooling.
"I was working to help support my dad because things weren't financially great at the time. I think I was on autopilot," she said.
Pursuing a Cert III in Health Assistance Services, she completed 700 hours of placement at John Hunter Hospital in the neonatal intensive care unit and the dialysis unit, all while schooling and working.
"Alongside that I've been doing my senior thesis project where I wrote a systematic review of the effectiveness of dialectical behaviour therapy in the treatment of anorexia in adolescents," she said.
Dascha knew she wanted to go into a medical career having experienced her own hospitalisation with anorexia and the long hours didn't scare her.
"I want to help people and I know medicine is something you spend so much time working long hours that I'd need to be accustomed to, and I was very much willing to do that," she said.
Her dedication was recognised on Friday, September 13 at the NSW Training Awards in Sydney where she was named the School-based Apprentice of the Year.
Prior to winning she told the Newcastle Herald it would be a dream come true if she was given the award.
"If I won it'd mean the world to me. I'm always looking at how I can better myself and contribute to society," she said.
She said her ultimate career goal was to become a specialist in child and adolescent psychiatry.
Joining Dascha at the awards night was Merewether's Lachlan Carey who was named Trainee of the Year for his work in childcare and Singleton's Jacinta Ferris who won the Women in Trades award for her work in electrotechnology.
After suffering two strokes in Year 10 that required multiple surgeries and lengthy recovery times, Mr Carey was unable to return to school. He started an electrical apprenticeship, but rerouted his learning journey to pursue the passion for educating kids he'd discovered as a rugby league coach.
Early Childhood & Co. Services Pty Ltd was named Small Employer of the Year on the night for its services in Maitland and Greta.
Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education Steve Whan congratulated all the winners and finalists who are some of the best skilled technicians, training providers and employers around the state.
"We know the economic prosperity of our state depends on us growing a skilled workforce in areas of critical importance such as housing, aged and early childhood care and manufacturing. The NSW Training Awards highlights the importance of our VET sector and the wonderful opportunities it offers for a rewarding and prosperous career," he said.
