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Becoming a Rising Star: A Look into the Champions of Safety Awards

Registration for the WHS Show in Melbourne - May 2026

    Safety Champion Software is proud to sponsor the Champion of Safety Awards at the Workplace Health and Safety Shows across Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, celebrating the individuals driving meaningful change in our industry.

    At this year’s Melbourne event, we were delighted to present the Rising Star Award to Aaron Nauta. Aaron is making a significant impact in the WHS space, bringing a wealth of expertise and a strong commitment to improving safety outcomes.

    These awards recognise the passion, innovation and leadership shaping the future of workplace safety, and we’re honoured to support and celebrate these achievements.

    Read our interview with Aaron below to learn more about his journey and insights.

    whs-show-melbourne

    What did the Champions of Safety Awards mean to you?

    Winning a Champions of Safety Award provides an incredible platform to amplify a message I care deeply about: that safety and first aid training isn’t just a compliance box to tick, but a vital life skill that protects our workplaces, our families, and our neighbourhoods. Having the backing of the WHS community, gives us a voice to reach more people. It validates that our community-first approach to safety education is working, and it inspires me to keep empowering everyday people with the confidence to step up and save lives when it matters most.

     

    How did you first get “into” the health and safety industry?

    I didn’t originally set out to be in the workplace health and safety sector, but my background in the health, wellness, and leadership spaces naturally naturally pulled me toward it. The deeper I got into working with teams and communities, the more I realised that true wellness and leadership are completely bottlenecked if a culture doesn’t feel safe or prepared. I saw an opportunity to bridge the gap between strict WHS compliance and genuine community impact. I wanted to bring an engaging, high-energy, and practical approach to safety training and first aid education, showing organisations that building a ready culture is one of the most empowering things they can do for their people.

     

    Can you tell us about your role and what you do in workplace safety?

    I work closely with our trainers, administration team, partners, and clients to ensure we’re delivering high quality safety education and compliance solutions across a wide range of industries. A big part of my role is identifying opportunities to improve safety outcomes, developing systems that make compliance easier, supporting our team to deliver exceptional experiences, and building relationships with organisations that genuinely want to invest in their people. What excites me most is seeing the ripple effect. When we support one organisation, that can influence hundreds or even thousands of workers, students, participants, or community members. By building a strong team and empowering others to deliver safety education, we’re able to create a much greater impact than any one person could achieve alone. I see my role as helping drive a culture where safety isn’t viewed as an obligation, but as an opportunity to care for people, strengthen workplaces, and build more resilient communities.

     

    What advice would you give to organisations trying to sharpen their safety responsibilities?

    My advice would be to move beyond compliance and focus on culture. The safest organisations aren’t necessarily the ones with the biggest manuals, they’re the ones where leaders lead by example, employees feel empowered to speak up, and safety becomes part of everyday decision making. When people genuinely care about each other, safety stops being a requirement and becomes a shared responsibility.

     

    What is next for your in your safety journey?

    What’s next for me is continuing to push the boundaries of what safety education can look like. We’re exploring new technologies, growing our team across Australia, expanding our work in mental health and wellbeing, and making compliance easier for organisations through better systems, technology, and support. I’ve also become increasingly passionate about leadership. A few years ago, my impact was limited to the people I could personally train. Today, I have the opportunity to lead a team that influences thousands of people each year through safety education, and that’s something I’m incredibly excited to continue building.

     

    See Aarons LinkedIn Page Below

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