Whitsunday Business Awards: Rising Star

The Rising Star: Employee, Apprentice or Trainee Award recognises an emerging talent who has demonstrated exceptional growth, commitment, and impact in their workplace. It celebrates individuals early in their career – employee, apprentice, or trainee – who show strong potential, a dedicated work ethic, and a meaningful contribution to their organisation and the broader Whitsunday region

Application Preparation Guide »

Who Can Enter

Applicants must:

Be currently employed as an employee, apprentice, or trainee within a registered business located in the Whitsunday region.
Have been working in the business for at least 12 months as of Monday 1 June 2026.
Be aged 16 years or over as of Monday 1 June 2026.
Be submitted by either the applicant or their employer. If applying yourself, you must have approval from your employer, supervisor, or manager. If an employer submits the application, the applicant must be aware of and agree to the submission.
Demonstrate active contribution, personal growth, and dedication in the workplace.

Key Dates

APPLICATIONS CLOSE
11:59pm Friday 17 July

AWARDS EVENT
05:30pm Friday 9 October

Top Tips

Application Preparation Guide »

Start early: Give yourself enough time to gather information, data, photos and supporting documents rather than rushing close to the deadline.
Prepare your responses before applying: The online application form cannot be saved and returned to later. Draft your answers in a Word document first, then copy them into the application form. Supporting documents can be uploaded separately.
Answer every part of the question: Review the judging criteria and question prompts carefully (starting on the next page). Strong applications directly address the bullet points and provide clear examples.
Keep it clear and easy to read: Write in plain English and avoid jargon. Focus on communicating your story, achievements, and impact clearly for judges from a range of industries. You are welcome to use AI tools to help structure, refine, or proofread your responses but ensure the content remains authentic and reflects your voice.
Be specific rather than general: Instead of saying “we provide great service,” explain what you do differently and the results it achieves.
Support your claims with evidence: Include data, results, testimonials, growth figures, achievements, or short examples to demonstrate outcomes and credibility.
Include strong supporting material: Upload documents, photos, reports, media coverage or other evidence that strengthens your application and supports your claims.
Ask someone to review your application: A fresh set of eyes can help identify gaps, spelling mistakes, or areas that could be clearer before submission.

Need help?

Please contact the Whitsunday Business Awards administration team with any questions via admin@whitsundaycoastchamber.com.au

Eligibility, Terms & Conditions

Eligibility

Entrants must work in or operate a registered business within the Whitsunday Regional Council area.
Businesses must have been operating continuously for at least 12 months as of Monday 1 June 2026, unless the specific award category states a different eligibility period or is open to new or emerging businesses.
‘Small Business’ is defined as sole trader and/or less than 20 employees, and ‘Medium to Large Business’ as those with over 20 employees.
Employees, apprentices, or trainees must have been working in the business for at least 12 months as of Monday 1 June 2026.
Businesses and individuals must apply directly for the awards. No third-party nominations will be accepted.
2025 Winners and Highly Commended Whitsunday Business Awards recipients are unable to apply for the same category in 2026.
2026 Sponsors are ineligible to apply for any award category.
Applicants must demonstrate ethical business practices and compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
Sole traders, not-for-profits, incorporated associations, and social enterprises are eligible to apply where relevant to category criteria.

Entry Requirements

All entries must be submitted via the official online application form by the published closing time and date of 11:59pm Friday 17 July 2026. Entries submitted after this deadline will not be considered.
Entrants can apply to a maximum two award categories but must submit a separate application for each.
All responses must be truthful and accurate to the best of the entrant’s knowledge.

Judging

Entries will be assessed by an independent panel of judges appointed by the award program partners.
Applications that are incomplete, off-topic, or fail to sufficiently address the award criteria may be deemed ineligible and will not be forwarded to judges.
Judges’ decisions are final, and no correspondence will be entered into regarding outcomes.
The Judging Panel reserves the right to withdraw any entry if the applicant is found to have brought the Awards or award program partners into disrepute.
The Judging Panel reserves the right to move entries between categories if deemed more appropriate.

Confidentiality

All information submitted will be treated as confidential and used solely for the purpose of judging.
Judges and award program administrators are bound by confidentiality agreements.

Promotion & Media

By entering, applicants agree to have their business name, logo, and images used for promotional purposes related to the Awards.
Event photography and videography may be used for marketing and reporting purposes by the award program partners.

Costs

There is no cost to enter the Awards. Applicants are responsible for their own attendance and any associated costs to attend the Awards Event.

I have read, understood, and agree to the terms and conditions of the Whitsunday Business Awards and this award category. *YesNo

I am willing and able to provide evidence, if requested, demonstrating ethical business practices and compliance with all relevant laws and regulations. *YesNo

I grant permission for my contact details to be shared with regional media for potential interviews and publicity opportunities. *YesNo

Business Information

Employee, Apprentice or Trainee First and Last Name *

Employee, Apprentice or Trainee Job Title/Position *

When did they start, first day of employment with their current employer? *Format for the date: DD/MM/YYYY

Date of birth for the employee, apprentice or trainee? *Format for the date: DD/MM/YYYY

Who is their training provider (if applicable)?

Name of the Business *

Australian Business Number (ABN) *

Start Date of the Business *Format for the date: DD/MM/YYYY

Current Number of Employees *

Your Email Address *

Your Phone *

Street Address/Business Location *

Suburb

State

Post code

Business Website

1. Tell us about the applicant and the business they work for (maximum 500 words, 20 points). *0 / 500

2. How has the applicant demonstrated growth, initiative, and leadership potential? (maximum 600 words, 30 points) *0 / 600

3. What impact has the applicant made within their workplace or the wider community? (maximum 600 words, 30 points) *0 / 600

4. Why should this individual be recognised as a Rising Star? (maximum 400 words, 20 points) *0 / 400

Supporting material is required for all applications.

Please upload at one (1) supporting document that strengthens your submission, such as customer or team testimonials, photos, business performance data or graphs, media coverage, or other relevant evidence.

Uploads