Nicknamed 'TAFE in a Box', the Tourism and Hospitality teachers devised a way to keep students engaged while COVID restricted them from studying on campus.

The staff packed up ingredient boxes or arranged click-and-collect for smaller towns where travel outside local government areas was banned.

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"The students would collect their box and then join a live cooking class at home or at work via Microsoft teams," head teacher Amanda Glassop explained.

"Students could ask questions, see the teacher demonstrate and show the teacher their progress and the finished products.

"This meant that the 60 or so apprentice chefs and bakers did not fall behind in their training.

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"The reaction from students has been fantastic with lots of positive comments and gratitude."

Another initiative that impressed the judges was the completion of a Certificate II course in tourism in Wilcannia.

This course was delivered face-to-face and completed in July before lockdown.

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It has since led to one of the students registering his own tour company with a plans to host guided tours, hopefully employing other graduates once lockdown is eventually lifted.

All up, the award recognised the work of 11 teachers in the section across the tourism, hospitality, commercial cookery, bakery and events courses.

To earn the regional title, the Orange teaching team was judged on how it portrays the TAFE values of customer first, collaboration, excellence and integrity and how they perform together.

The team competed against 37 campuses in Western NSW.

The Teaching Section of the Year award is considered the pinnacle award for TAFE NSW and means the Orange team will now be considered for a state gong, to be announced on October 15.

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