A year ago, Brent Lethbridge took a leap of faith and launched SALT Training Academy on the Mid North Coast. This quarter, that leap has been recognised with the Outstanding New Partner Award — a fitting nod to a first year built on hard work, trust and a lot of long days.

"Starting a new business is always a leap of faith, and there have been plenty of long days and hard work behind the scenes," Brent said. "To have that effort recognised by Allens Training means a great deal to us."

Two decisions that set the pace

Brent points to two moves that got SALT off the ground quickly. First, going fully mobile — delivering nationally recognised training at workplaces across the Mid North Coast, so businesses could meet compliance requirements without the downtime. Second, and just as important: relationships over advertising. Brent and the team spent their early months connecting with local businesses, schools, sporting clubs and community groups, letting word-of-mouth do the heavy lifting.

"As those relationships have grown, so too has the trust people place in us," he said. "Much of our growth has come through word-of-mouth recommendations, referrals and repeat business."

Confidence over compliance

SALT's training philosophy is simple: students shouldn't just tick a compliance box, they should leave genuinely confident they could act if it mattered. Hands-on practice, real-world scenarios and plenty of room to ask questions have made courses memorable — and made students far more likely to recommend SALT to colleagues and employers.

One commitment has become a hallmark of the business: SALT never cancels a public course due to low numbers. "We know reliability is just as important as the training itself," Brent said — a promise that's paid off in repeat bookings and long-term relationships, even when it hasn't always been the easiest decision commercially.

Looking ahead

With the Training Desk App and client portal handling the behind-the-scenes work, Brent's team has been free to focus on what matters most — quality training and genuine customer service. The next 6–12 months are about sustainable growth: deepening local partnerships, adding courses where there's real demand, and staying true to the values that got SALT here.

"We want SALT Training Academy to become the first name people think of when they need first aid or workplace safety training on the Mid North Coast," Brent said. "That's earned through trust, consistency and the experience people have every time they train with us."

Congratulations to Brent Lethbridge and the SALT Training Academy team on a brilliant first year.