Business bulletin: 4 December 2025

Gilbertofer Tanoto from Charles Darwin University (CDU) has been named the Study NT International Student of the Year.

The Study NT International Student Awards celebrate excellence and recognise the contributions international students bring to the Northern Territory.

Gilbertofer, who studies at CDU moved to the Territory from Indonesia. Since arriving in the Top End Gilbertofer, has advocated for student needs and provided peer mentoring through his various capabilities as a student leader at CDU.

He also travelled to regional and remote areas of the Territory to tutor and inspire school students follow a path in STEM and has represented the community through the NT Youth Round Table.

Gilbertofer said coming to the NT at 18 and now winning the award at 19 feels unbelievable.

'I hope my journey shows young Territorians and other international students that passion can take you further than you ever expect. For me it’s all about giving back to the communities that have supported me.'

The awards also recognise employers who supported and advocated for international students as talents in the NT workforce. Darwin business, Kinetic IT was named the International Student Employer of the Year.

Kinetic IT was recognised for their employment program which has been tailored to meet the needs of international students. The program includes a combination of paid internships, work experience and an ICT graduate program.

Kinetic IT Account Director Karina Bourne said 'International students bring unique perspectives and diversify our teams. They are not only skilled and motivated but are also engaged in the local IT industry, often volunteering and building strong community networks'.

This year’s awards ceremony was jointly held with the Graduation Ceremony for the 2025 Study NT Student Ambassadors.

The event was an opportunity to celebrate our incredible international students and to recognise our ambassador’s contributions in promoting the Northern Territory as a premier study destination over the past 12 months.

2025 Study NT International Student Winners

• Study NT International Student of the Year: Gilbertofer Tanoto, Indonesia, CDU
• Study NT International Student Alumni of the Year: Ali Dhirani, Tanzania, CDU
• Study NT International Student Volunteer of the Year: Mengdie Momo Zhao, China, CDU
• Study NT International Student Employer of the Year: Kinetic IT
• Study NT Student Ambassador of the Year – Mit Dinh, Vietnam, CDU

Congratulations to the 2025 NT Student Ambassador Graduates

• Abdurrahman Aliyu, Nigeria, CDU
• Amina Salha, India, CDU
• Araiz Ahmad, Pakistan, Darwin High School
• Bernardo Massard, Brazil, Sydney City College
• Clarilyn Quirante Isip, Philippines, Latitude College
• Daniellee Jane Delfin, Philippines, Alane Kaye College
• Ivan Nieto, Colombia, Latitude College
• Gilbertofer Tanoto, Indonesia, CDU
• Hadisurya Sugiharto Temmuyin, Indonesia, CDU
• Howard Mai, China, CDU
• Harnoor Kaur, India, St John’s Catholic College
• Ishan Sumanasekara, Sri Lanka, CDU
• Muhammad Kamal Chohan, Pakistan, CDU
• Nithya Romeshika Yamasinghe, Sri Lanka, CDU
• Sana-e-Zehra Haidry, Pakistan, CDU
• Thanh Trung Do (James), Vietnam, CDU
• Kome Tran, Vietnam, CDU
• Mit Dinh, Vietnam, CDU
• Wenqing Yang, China, CDU

Lena Bornhoeft moved to Darwin seven years ago for a work-life sea change and hasn’t looked back.

'A friend of mine lived in Darwin for a short period of time and said I would like the place,' Lena said.

‘My original plan was to just visit Darwin and then I picked up a 6-month job as a live-in nanny, the family I stayed with showed me the best of the Northern Territory lifestyle and it felt like home.'

Lena then moved into traffic management picking up work as a traffic controller around greater Darwin. By 2021 Lena had commenced at Trafficwerx NT, a Darwin-based company who are leaders in traffic management solutions in the Northern Territory. For more information about the company, go to the Trafficwerx NT website.

Beginning as a traffic controller Lena quickly moved up the ranks to become a Project Administrator for Trafficwerx NT.

'My job is busy but incredibly rewarding,' Lena said.

'I am in charge of designating traffic management plans and oversee our traffic management projects.'

'Each day is different, I can be meeting with clients and key stakeholders and then coordinating logistics including travel and training.'

Lena is happy that she made the move to Darwin and has found the right mix between a rewarding job and laid-back lifestyle. She came here on a working holiday visa and has shifted to a skilled visa sponsored by Trafficwerx NT, demonstrating a successful transition from working holiday to full-time employment with a pathway to permanent residency.

'Darwin is a beautiful city and has a relaxed and friendly atmosphere,' she said.

'It’s warm all year round and the dry season is a highlight with its festivals, markets and activities.

'There is so much on offer, we have so many national parks and waterfalls to explore, no traffic jams and plenty of job opportunities.'

Planning your next career move?

Sign up to WorkerConnect – the Northern Territory Government’s digital jobs board – and search for jobs today.

Darwin-based manufacturer, Arctic Insulated Panels (Arctic) is keeping Territory homes and buildings cool with the development of an innovative, energy-efficient Polyisocyanurate (PIR) board.

With support from the Northern Territory Government’s Advanced Manufacturing Ecosystem Fund (AMEF), Arctic will establish an advanced PIR insulation manufacturing process to make ‘high-performance ‘soffit boards’ locally.

Soffit boards are essential components in energy- efficient building design. They are installed under the eaves of roofs to provide ventilation, protection from moisture and improve thermal performance.

Arctic’s soffit boards will be designed specifically for the Northern Territory’s hot and humid climate, utilising an in-house chemist.

Arctic’s Managing Director Gary Burns said 'This project gives builders access to a locally made, high-performance soffit board that meets or exceeds energy efficiency requirements under the National Construction Code. It means more local jobs, reduced project costs, and greater self-sufficiency for the Territory.'

The project will be delivered in collaboration with Rapid Engineering NT, Gillard Engineering Services, CMI Certification and James Cook University, who will conduct rigorous testing on the soffit boards structural integrity against cyclone resistance and help guide the CodeMark accreditation process.

The $2.4 million project includes AMEF’s co-contribution of $476,004, matched by Arctic’s own investment and in-kind support.

AMGC’s Northern Territory Director, Charmaine Phillips said 'Arctic is a worthy recipient of the AMEF’s final funds, demonstrating the impact of manufacturing and the importance of continuing to foster Northern Territory capability. This local manufacturer also demonstrates the substantive gains for local jobs and the economy when industry is supported to scale.'

This project is expected to create 35 new jobs, generating an estimated $16.5 million in additional revenue as well as strengthen the Territory’s position as a growing hub for advanced manufacturing and sustainable building innovation.

This marks the sixteenth and final project to be funded under the AMEF, which is administered by the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre.

The AMEF has played an important role in developing the Territory’s advanced manufacturing capabilities and driving innovation across industries including construction, mining, renewables and defence.

Operators, businesses and interested parties are invited to submit innovative proposal to develop an environmentally sensitive and sustainable glamping experience within the Territory Wildlife Park.

Nestled in the natural beauty of the Territory Wildlife Park and adjacent to the rich biodiversity of the Berry Springs Nature Park, this location offers a unique opportunity to create an eco-friendly tourism offering.

The Territory Wildlife Park is looking for proposals that:

• Deliver a high-quality, immersive glamping experience that celebrates the natural landscape and wildlife.
• Embrace sustainability principles, including minimal environmental footprint, renewable energy use, waste reduction and water conservation.
• Complement existing park infrastructure while maintaining sensitivity to local ecosystems, habitats and sites of cultural significance.
• Enhance the Territory Wildlife Park’s role as a destination for education, conservation and nature-based tourism.

Stage 1 process seeks visionary concepts that reimagine how glamping can be integrates into the park setting to provide a unique and sustainable visitor experience.

This stage of the EOI process is looking for high-level proposals and concepts, rather than detailed businesses proposals.

Shortlisted applicants from Stage 1 will be invited to progress to Stage 2 to develop a detailed operational plan and designs in partnership with the Park.

Stage 1 EOI’s close 22 December 2025.

For further information contact twp@nt.gov.au or call 08 8988 7219.