Manufacturing skills development has been placed in the national spotlight after Gold Coast boat manufacturer Riviera was named Apprentice Employer of the Year at the 2025 Australian Training Awards in Darwin.
According to a media release, Riviera, which manufactures luxury motor yachts at its Coomera facility, was recognised for its approach to workforce training, including its purpose-built Riviera Academy of Excellence.
The company said the facility supports more than 100 apprentices and contributes to a 95 per cent trade qualification completion rate, compared with a national average of 71 per cent for apprentices completing with the same employer, as reported by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research.
Riviera Apprentice & Training Manager Keira Badke accepted the award on behalf of the company, describing apprenticeships as central to Riviera’s manufacturing operations rather than a supplementary initiative.
“Apprenticeships are not a side project at Riviera; they are at the heart of how we build our business,” Badke said in the release.
“Our unwavering commitment to our comprehensive training program, which includes more than 100 apprentices, is the cornerstone of our success.”
The company said its apprenticeship program dates back to the early 1990s, when Riviera first began employing apprentices as part of its manufacturing workforce. Badke said the long-term investment in skills development had remained consistent over more than three decades.
“The program began in the early 90’s when we first opened our doors to young apprentices, and since then we’ve never wavered in our belief that if you invest in people, the results look after themselves,” she said.
Riviera added that its training approach was further formalised in 2024 with the opening of the Academy of Excellence, which brings training, mentoring and personal development into a single facility.
“In 2024, that belief came to life even more with the opening of our Academy of Excellence, bringing structured hands-on training, mentoring and personal development all under one roof,” Badke said.
It was reported that the manufacturer builds around 150 motor yachts each year, ranging from 39 to 78 feet, and has been manufacturing boats for 45 years.
Riviera said it has built more than 6,000 vessels over the past 45 years, exporting more than 55 per cent of its annual production to North and South America, Europe, Asia and New Zealand.
