Apply now for the Trevor Drayton Scholarship

Are you passionate about building a successful culinary, hospitality, or winemaking career? You may be eligible for one of the three Trevor Drayton Scholarships, each offering up to $2,500 to assist in your career progression and acquisition of resources, experiences, or further education. The three scholarships are divided into the following categories:

• Culinary
• Hospitality
• Winemaking

The Drayton family planted their first vines in the Hunter Valley in 1853, establishing themselves as one of Australia’s pioneering wine families. Trevor Drayton, a fifth-generation winemaker, gained widespread recognition as an industry icon.

The scholarship was established in 2009, following Trevor's passing in 2008, to honour his memory and contribution to the industry. It aims to help the next generation enter the wine and hospitality industry, aspiring to reach Trevor's level of excellence.

Applications for a Trevor Drayton Scholarship close at 5 pm (AEST), Friday 15 August 2025.

To apply for the Trevor Drayton Scholarship, you must:

• be enrolled in either a TAFE NSW culinary, hospitality or winemaking-associated course in the Hunter or Central Coast regions or have graduated in the in the last five years or be employed within the culinary, hospitality or winemaking industries for less than five years
• demonstrate a commitment to a culinary, hospitality or winemaking career. You can do this by listing achievements, creating an action plan or identifying your skills and strengths
• outline how you would use the scholarship reward to advance your career
• provide evidence of your consistent commitment to achieving your career goals. You can demonstrate this by sharing positive grades and attendance records, character traits or values
• have the ability and willingness to become an ambassador for the industry and the Trevor Drayton Scholarship

Please note, applicants enrolled in training or recently graduated from TAFE NSW will receive special consideration.

The Drayton family planted their first vines in the Hunter Valley in 1853 to become one of Australia’s pioneering wine families. Trevor Drayton, born in 1955, became a fifth generation winemaker who carried on the tradition with distinction, to become widely recognised as an industry icon.

Unfortunately, Trevor’s brilliant career was tragically cut short in 2008, when he lost his life in an industrial accident during harvest.

One year later, a group of friends and associates decided that Trevor’s memory should be honoured by the industry to which he had contributed so much. They established a scholarship programme to assist the next generation of people aspiring to forge a career in the wine and hospitality industry. These scholarships would be tailored to each student’s individual needs, and would aim to help them further their career, to one day achieve the same level of excellence as Trevor.

The Trevor Drayton Scholarship committee held its first fundraising luncheon on the 1st anniversary of Trevor’s death, with the first scholarship being awarded the following year as part of what has now become an important annual fundraising event, attended by members of the industry.

Please remember that TAFE NSW offers multiple support services to students, including free counselling services. We understand that sharing your personal or financial circumstances may be emotionally challenging, so please don’t hesitate to access these services if you need support.

You can arrange an appointment with a counsellor by phoning 131 601 and selecting option five, then option 2. You can also use this option to access disability services or referral to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander student support services.

Learn more about the resources available to you on the Student Services homepage.

Every year TAFE NSW awards hundreds of scholarships. To find the one that's right for you, go to the TAFE NSW Scholarships homepage.