Asuria is proud to announce that it's set to be represented by four exceptional finalists at the prestigious 2025 NESA Awards for Excellence, showcasing our ongoing commitment to transforming lives through meaningful employment and recognising the outstanding contributions of our people and partners.
Since 2004, the NESA Awards have recognised outstanding achievements in employment services, celebrating those who work tirelessly to improve the well-being of individuals, families, and communities through employment inclusion. The awards serve as a benchmark for excellence within the sector while showcasing the life-changing impact of employment services.
As a leading public service provider, Asuria supports thousands of people each year through services spanning employment support, training and education, justice, business start-up services, and health and wellbeing programs. We couldn’t be prouder of our four shortlisted nominations at this year’s awards, reflecting the breadth of our impact across the employment services landscape and the exceptional dedication of our team and the job seekers we serve.
Our 2025 NESA Award Nominees:
Achiever of the Year
Justin, a First Nations man and Workforce Australia participant has been shortlisted for Achiever of the Year, representing a remarkable journey of transformation and resilience. His commitment to the Maritime Operations program, in partnership with Tribal Warrior and supported by Asuria, led to his employment with Fantasea Cruises (NRMA) as a General-Purpose Host/Deck Hand in October 2024. His story exemplifies the power of culturally responsive support combined with personal determination to overcome extraordinary barriers.
Champion Employer of the Year
In the Champion Employer of the Year category, our employer partner Cripps Nubake has been recognised for their exceptional commitment to inclusive employment practices. Tasmania's oldest commercial bakery, established in 1878, has partnered with Asuria since 2022 to co-design innovative recruitment strategies that remove traditional barriers for disadvantaged job seekers. Their approach has resulted in employing 42 participants during the 2024-25 period with an outstanding 86% retention rate, demonstrating that inclusive hiring practices benefit both job seekers and businesses.
Employment Consultant of the Year
Mark Collis's shortlisting for Employment Consultant of the Year celebrates his extraordinary impact as an Indigenous Mentor at our Albury site. Since joining Asuria in 2022, Mark has supported over 120 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants across the Albury/Wodonga region. His culturally safe approach and deep community connections have made him the top-performing consultant at the Albury site and among the top three in the Goulburn Murray region.
Outstanding Service to the Employment Services Sector
Perhaps most significantly, Darren Otten's shortlisting for Outstanding Service to the Employment Services Sector recognises over three decades of transformational leadership in Australia's employment services sector. As Executive Director of Employer Services at Asuria and a Fellow of the Institute of Employability Professionals, Darren has influenced the lives of more than 23,000 disadvantaged Australians throughout his career. His innovations include creating Australia's first youth job clubs and developing the segmentation model for employer servicing that remains a benchmark for best practice across the sector.
The winners will be announced at the upcoming NESA Awards ceremony on 17 September, where these outstanding achievements in employment services will be celebrated alongside other industry leaders committed to creating positive change through employment inclusion.
Regardless of the final outcome, these four finalist nominations are a testament to Asuria's commitment to excellence across every aspect of our work – from frontline service delivery to employer engagement, from individual achievement to systemic sector reform. Behind each nomination are real stories of transformation, resilience, innovation, and hope that continue to drive our mission forward.
Congratulations to everyone on their nominations!
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