BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto headed the awards with two BHP, two Rio and one BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance Coal employee short-listed as finalists for trainee of the year.

Thirty-three trainees, individuals, trainers and organisations have been short-listed in the 10 award categories.

The awards, run by the Brisbane-based Mining Industry Skills Centre, recognise achievements in training the mining sector.

Skills Centre chief executive Derek Hunter said this was the first time the awards had finalists from New South Wales, the Northern Territory, Western Australia and Queensland.

The award judges are in the final stages of selecting winners, with onsite interviews being conducted over the next two weeks.

Winners will be announced at the awards dinner at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on September 26.

Finalists for the coal trainee of the year include:

• BHP Billiton, Mt Arthur Coal – Colin Barnett
• Rio Tinto Coal, Mount Thorley Warkworth – Simon Merrick
• BMA Coal, Gregory Crinum Mine – Brad Watson

Finalists for Individual Award for Excellence in Training were:

• BHP Billiton, Illawarra Coal – Brett Baker
• Fenner Dunlop Registered Training Organisation – Vicki West
• BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance – Kym Frost

Organisations listed under company awards included: