MCEC’s AV Traineeship Program was honoured with the prestigious Innovation in Education Partnerships Award at the inaugural RMIT College of Vocational Education Industry Partnerships Awards.  

This recognition highlights MCEC’s outstanding commitment to providing valuable opportunities to students of the Diploma of Live Production and Technical Services.  

Five students - Ashley Hayat, Finn Gleeson, Luka Vannutini, Tiana Cormick and Shannon Goldrick - completed the six-month traineeship program and have now secured ongoing employment at MCEC.  

Luka Vannutini, one of the talented graduates, discovered his passion for AV during his high school years, assisting with school productions and musicals. After completing his Diploma at RMIT, Luka embarked on the traineeship program at MCEC, where he gained invaluable practical experience.  

“During my Diploma I worked on vision, but being able to do it in a practical setting within MCEC has really taught me how everything works and how to do things properly. I’ve really been challenged to build vision sets in a variety of different methods and situations.” 

Luka was supported by his mentors throughout the program, which involved completing a variety of hands-on tasks and advanced skills training in areas including audio mixing, lighting operation, projection mapping and video production. 

“I’d really like to thank my fellow crew members, they’ve always been very open and friendly towards me and other grad techs and new starters. There’s a wealth of information here and they’re always willing to share. 

“And now, as I approach a few months out of being a graduate tech, I find myself teaching new hires as well, so the cycle continues for the better.” 

Since gaining ongoing employment at MCEC, Luka has put his skills to the test, working on a variety of different events.  

“At the NSW Premier’s Dinner I was working on lighting. We had two meeting rooms which aren’t our normal gala dinner spaces, but we managed to build some very interesting event lighting setup in rooms that don’t typically house that kind of technology,” he said.  

“I was very proud of what we achieved, creating an unorthodox solution to an interesting situation,” he added.  

David Strangio, Head of Technology Services, emphasised how the success of RMIT graduates in the MCEC AV traineeship program highlights the critical role of industry partnerships in shaping tomorrow's workforce. 

"At MCEC, we're proud to offer state-of-the-art AV infrastructure throughout our venue, supported by a team of dedicated experts in audio, vision, lighting, multimedia, AV systems, communications, and rigging. Our team is passionate about sharing their knowledge and inspiring the next generation of AV professionals," he said. 

"We are deeply committed to providing meaningful opportunities for students, helping them grow and laying the foundation for a thriving career in the live production and audio visual industry," he added.