TasTAFE learner Nazir Sultani wins Equity Apprentice of the Year at the 2025 Tasmanian Training Awards

Nazir Sultani with his Equity Apprentice of the Year award at the 2025 Tasmanian Training Awards ceremony in Hobart.

At the 2025 Tasmanian Training Awards ceremony in Hobart on 19 September, TasTAFE learner Nazir Sultani won the Equity Apprentice of the Year award – recognising an apprentice who has overcome significant barriers to succeed at work and in their training.

Nazir has come a long way, travelling from Afghanistan to Tasmania in 2021 to build a new life for himself. When he arrived in Hobart he had no family, no job, and no English. He was starting from scratch.

Now, 4 years later, Nazir is an apprentice carpenter with Channel Construction, he’s in the final year of his Certificate III in Carpentry studies at TasTAFE, and his English is as good as anyone’s.

“I was 24 when I arrived in Tasmania,” Nazir said. “I did my school in Afghanistan, and I did Uni as well, studying IT. But when I moved here, I realised how we need more carpenters, more builders – we need to build more houses. So I changed my career.”

Nazir’s father was a builder in Kabul, and Nazir worked alongside him part-time – so he had some basic carpentry skills under his belt. But the challenges of adapting to a new society 11,700km from home were much bigger than just a career change.

“At the beginning, it was so difficult – especially the language and the culture. And I used to live in a big family in Kabul, but I had no-one here to live with. It was super-difficult at the beginning.”

Realising that he needed to learn English, Nazir signed-up for the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) at TasTAFE’s Campbell Street Campus. Working with English Language Services teacher Gini Ennals, he completed his Certificate IIII in Spoken and Written English in 2022.

Reflecting on TasTAFE’s AMEP program, Gini agreed that for many new arrivals to Australia, learning English is a key part of settling in – but not the only part.

“It’s not just about learning a language. It's learning about culture. It's learning about the law. It's learning about rights and responsibilities as a citizen. It’s learning about how to get a job or move into another course. We try to prepare people to get over the barriers they're going to face, and transition into the wider world,” Gini said.

“For learners from humanitarian entrant backgrounds, getting a job, paying tax and contributing back into Tasmanian society is such a win for them. That's when they go, ‘Ohh, this is my home. I feel like I'm connected now.’”

Nazir was starting to feel connected.

Next, he organised a work experience placement with Channel Construction in 2023 and impressed his supervisors with his work ethic and determination – so much so that they offered him an apprenticeship on the spot. Nazir then enrolled in the Certificate III in Carpentry program at TasTAFE, and his new career was taking flight.

“Studying English at TasTAFE, then I got my apprenticeship, then I started my Certificate III... Yeah, that's all a big change! It means a lot to me,” Nazir said.

Nazir agreed that his TasTAFE training has upskilled him for a career in carpentry, including experience using the latest tools and equipment.

“TasTAFE has so many different types of tools that you can learn how to use in a safe and practical way – and what you learn in the classroom to back it up. I would recommend it, 100,” Nazir said.

In between visits to the Kabul House Kebab & Bakery in Glenorchy (“They’ve got Afghan kebabs there and Kabuli Pulao – it's so famous in Afghanistan”), Nazir dreams about exploring more of his new country. But will he return to Afghanistan one day?

“I'm not too sure, to be honest. I would like to travel around Australia first and see how I find it. And then let's see how I go,” Nazir said.

No doubt you’ll go well, Nazir.

Emigrating from Afghanistan, learning English, starting your apprenticeship, succeeding at TasTAFE, winning a Tasmanian Training Award… Your courage, self-belief and determination are truly inspiring.

Nazir Sultani addressing the audience at the 2025 Tasmanian Training Awards ceremony.