Jessica Pendlebury
Victoria
Qualification: Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing
School: Assumption College Kilmore
Employer: Northern Veterinary Group
Training Provider: GOTAFE
 
With the cooperation of at GOTAFE and her employer, Northern Veterinary Group, Jessica Pendlebury became the TAFE’s first student to undertake a Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing as an Australian School-based Apprentice.
 
Working hard to both complete her VCE and be a qualified Veterinary Nurse by the end of 2012, Jessica is enjoying the opportunity to work in a nursing environment while completing her studies via flexible delivery.
 
Thanks to the Australian School-based Apprenticeship Program at GOTAFE, Jessica has guaranteed employment with her current employer once she has completed her VCE and is considering her options of either working full-time or working part-time and undertaking further tertiary studies.
 
Jessica has also become a Puppy Pre-school trainer, has mentored and tutored other students in the Certificate II in Animal Studies, and in 2010 was awarded Vocational Education and Training Student of the Year by her school, Assumption College, Kilmore.

Watch an interview with Jessica Pendlebury.

Vanessa Corbell
South Australia
Qualification: Certificate III in Floristry
Training Provider: TAFE SA Adelaide North Institute
 
In 2008 Vanessa Corbell commenced Certificate II in Floristry and found it quickly became her passion. Despite being diagnosed with severe dyslexia, Vanessa has excelled in her studies having successfully completed Certificate II and III in Floristry.
 
Vanessa’s skills have been recognised and rewarded throughout her studies including being awarded first place in South Australia in the 2010 Oasis Designz Cup Competition and second place in the 2010 South Australian district Interflora Rising Star competition, recipient of the inaugural Interflora student award of distinction and 2011 South Australian district and national winner of the Interflora Florist of the Future competition. She attributes her success to her studies through TAFE SA and her personal determination to succeed.
 
Vanessa is now working fulltime as a qualified florist and continuing her studies part-time to ensure her skills are always of the highest standard. She is currently enrolled in Certificate IV in Floristry which she hopes to complete in 2012 and looks forward to continuing to be an ambassador for vocational education and training and the floristry industry. 

Watch an interview with Vanessa Corbell.
 

Joshua Toomey
New South Wales
Qualification: Certificate III in Electricity Supply Industry - Distribution (Power Line)
Employer: Ausgrid
Training Provider: Ausgrid
 
After making the decision to take control of his life Joshua Toomey joined Ausgrid in 2006 through their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Pre-Apprenticeship Program. With focus and diligence Joshua gained a highly sought after apprenticeship position with Ausgrid and has now completed his Certificate III Electricity Supply Industry - Distribution (Power Line).

With his communication skills, self determination and remarkable ability to motivate and encourage others, Joshua has not only transformed his own life over the last five years but also the lives of many other young Indigenous people who have suffered educational and social disadvantages. With an acute awareness of the barriers that many Indigenous young people face during and after school, Josh has participated in leadership training and taken on a mentoring role, promoting the opportunities and benefits of training.  

Watch an interview with Joshua Toomey.
 

Abbey Lee Sergeant
Qualification: Certificate III in Community Services Work
Employer: Shire of Katanning
Training Provider: Great Southern Institute of Technology

 
Abbey Sergeant, a trainee Youth Development Officer in the multicultural Shire of Katanning, thrives on organising and delivering programs for young people in her community. In this role, she applies for and administers program grants, produces a monthly newsletter and speaks to local high school students about upcoming events. She strongly believes in programs designed to support the shire’s youth, particularly the ‘Finding my Place’ program, which helps disengaged students to continue learning and find a suitable career path.
 
Abbey is currently completing her Certificate IV in Community Services Work and believes that working alongside experienced colleagues has been one of the key benefits of her Australian Apprenticeship. In addition to working and studying, Abbey participates in the local netball and football clubs and assists the Katanning Rotary Club. Her wide-ranging community involvement means nineteen-year-old Abbey is a very well known and respected member of her community.

Watch an interview with Abbey Lee Sergeant.

Colin Wilson
Victoria
Qualification: Certificate III in Hospitality (Commercial Cookery)
Employer: Chateau Yering
Training Provider:  Holmesglen
 
Aspiring chef Colin Wilson has already worked with culinary masters Gordon Ramsay and Neil Perry and, after winning a coveted prize, travelled to France to work with Michelin star chef Thierry Marx. Colin has made a point of competing in as many individual and team competitions as possible to increase his knowledge and experience.
 
Currently an apprentice with award-winning Eleanor’s Restaurant and Sweetwater Café at the Yarra Valley’s Chateau Yering, Colin has won a number of awards for his work including the 2010 AUSTAFE Culinary Challenge (Best Second-Year Apprentice, Best Overall Apprentice in Australia). He also took out Holmesglen TAFE’s Iron Chef title while completing his Certificate III in Commercial Cookery.
 
Colin says he wakes up every day excited to go to work and cook beautiful food and learn something new and challenging. His future goal is to own and run his own restaurant.

Watch an interview with Colin Wilson.
 

Amanda Smith
Western Australia
Employer: South West Institute of Technology, Margaret River Education Campus
 
Amanda Smith is passionate about food and wine. For more than 30 years she has worked in the hospitality industry in both Australia and the United Kingdom as a chef, manager and trainer. Since 2005 she has been providing off-the-job training in Commercial Cookery to apprentice chefs from the Margaret River region.
 
Through her training, Amanda aims to give students an appreciation and understanding of the South West’s local produce. In her highly practical ‘Paddock to Plate’ class, students meet with farmers, foragers, olive oil experts, truffle growers and vignerons. Students also have the opportunity to press grapes and hunt for truffles and native bush foods indigenous to the area. At the conclusion of this unit, students prepare a long table lunch for local producers and chefs using their new found skills.
 
To continue her professional development, Amanda recently visited China as a guest chef and also spent a week in Singapore where she had the opportunity to visit the At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy.

Watch an interview with Amanda Smith.
 

Murray Bridge Veterinary Clinic
South Australia
 
The Murray Bridge Veterinary Clinic offers high quality animal veterinary services to all creatures great and small in the rural South Australian town of Murray Bridge and its surrounding districts. The Clinic is committed to investing in vocational education and training in order to create a happy, productive working environment for its staff.
 
With accredited training provided by TAFE South Australia, the Clinic’s training is integrated on-the-job, with trainees and veterinary nurse students working hand in hand with the practice manager and doctors. Participating regularly in formal training, staff are provided the opportunity to develop individual training plans through which they identify achievements, career interests and training needs.
 
With their focus on the provision of high quality training, the Clinic has enjoyed higher staff retention rates, increased staff morale and quality patient care.

Watch an interview with Murray Bridge Veterinary Clinic.
 

Hutchinson Builders
Queensland
 
Established in 1912, Hutchinson Builders is Queensland’s largest privately owned construction company, employing more than 1000 people including 160 Australian Apprentices. It is committed to developing skills in-house and spends about $3.7 million annually on education and training.
 
 Hutchinson’s holistic Workforce Development Program encompasses school-based training, apprenticeship development, future leaders and personal development programs and cadetships. In partnership with the Queensland State Government, Hutchinson is deeply involved in the innovative Building and Construction Gateway School on the Gold Coast.

Watch an interview with Hutchinson Builders.
 

Equalis Pty Ltd
New South Wales

Operating across metropolitan and regional areas of New South Wales, Equalis offers a wide variety of courses in the Community Services sector, including disability, youth, aged care and children’s services. The organisation is dedicated to expanding the education, skills base and professional qualifications of people working within the Community Services industry.
 
Equalis work creatively and on a one-on-one basis with students and organisations from metropolitan, rural and remote areas of New South Wales to provide training to meet their specific needs. Equalis uses innovation and flexibility to ensure accessible, quality training regardless of geographical location, ability and financial capacity.

Watch an interview with Equalis.

TAFE SA Regional
South Australia

TAFE SA Regional delivers 573 nationally accredited qualifications at 43 campuses and learning centres across regional South Australia. In 2010, TAFE SA Regional enrolled more than 24,000 students. Flexible delivery is embedded in program culture, with courses using a range of delivery methods, including classroom, e-learning, work-based, self-paced and through Recognition of Prior Learning.
 
As a public provider, TAFE SA Regional supports South Australia’s social and economic development through training that enhances career options, fosters regional employment and increases access for the disadvantaged and disengaged. TAFE SA Regional prides itself on its ability to identify opportunities, overcome challenges and work with and for its communities.

Watch an interview with TAFE SA Regional.

SPC ARDMONA in collaboration with AMWU and the National Food Institute
Victoria

Traditionally on opposing sides of the bargaining table, SPC Ardmona and the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union have collaborated to develop an induction-to-leadership training program for more than 2000 workers in the Goulburn Valley. All employees have had the opportunity to undertake Certificate I through to Certificate III courses, which have lead to nationally recognised qualifications in the areas of food processing and transport competencies.
 
Access to training has given all employees, both permanent and seasonal, the opportunity to develop workplace skills and transportable knowledge linked to national competencies from Certificate I through Certificate III. The two parties have collaborated very successfully, implementing training plans in conjunction with their registered training organisation, the National Food Institute, and with the financial support of government.

Watch an interview with SPC Ardmona, the AMWU and the National Food Institute.

Dardanup Butchering Company
Western Australia

Dardanup Butchering Company (DBC) is a family-owned company situated in the South West of Western Australia. Founder Frank Panizza commenced operations in 1948, delivering door-to-door the freshest and best red meat products that money could buy. Today, DBC employs over 200 Western Australians and is the only major integrated multi species abattoir in the state. DBC comprises five retail outlets, three Food Service Divisions and operates a variety of complementary departments, each of which requires highly skilled and specialised staff in order to run profitably and effectively.
 
Realising that skilled staff are more productive, efficient and dedicated, DBC offers nationally recognised training to every employee relevant to their role. DBC currently has 35 Australian Apprentices completing Certificates II through to IV and four employees studying at the Diploma level. The company encourages long term employment and staff satisfaction is reflected in the high retention rate of employees.

Watch an interview with Dardanup Butchering Company.

John Forrest Secondary College - MPA Skills Partnership
Western Australia

Perth based John Forrest Secondary College (JFSC) caters for approximately 650 students drawn from broad socio economic and ethnic backgrounds. The college’s longstanding INSTEP program provides the framework through which a suite of vocational education and training (VET) pathways are provided for up to 150 students each year.
 
Students utilising the INSTEP program, are able to complete their secondary schooling whilst also completing nationally recognised VET qualifications.
 
Since 2007, a unique and evolving partnership between JFSC and MPA Skills (the principal training arm of the Master Plumbers and Gas Fitters Association of WA and the Master Painters Association of WA) to deliver a range of programs on the college site has developed. Through these programs, students begin the first stage of a mapped and highly supportive lifecycle for employment that begins with the integration of Australian School-based Apprenticeships within the senior school curriculum.
 
This pathway continues through to potential employment by MPA Skills as a full-time Australian Apprentice on completion of Year 12 or in lieu of finishing secondary schooling. Trends have shown increased applications each year and it is anticipated that there will be a waiting list for all programs in future years.

Watch an interview with John Forrest Secondary College. 

Jeanette Allen
New South Wales

Jeanette Allen’s vocational education and training (VET) journey began as a hairdresser and her commitment to education saw her move from running her own business to be coming a VET teacher/trainer, completing a Diploma of Education, a Bachelor of Education and a Masters of Education.
 
After working as a teacher and curriculum designer, Jeanette progressed to facilitating advice on training and skills needs setting the standard for quality in the development and implementation of service industries training. With a fundamental belief in the power of education and how it can change lives, combined with a commitment to deliver outcomes, Jeanette is proud of the balance and underpinning principles that guide her work in VET.
 
Jeanette is the Chief Executive Officer of Service Skills Australia (SSA), a not-for profit, independent organisation that supports skills development across a range of industry sectors. Under Jeanette’s guidance, SSA is leading the way in VET reform and setting benchmarks on the global stage. Jeanette is also the current Chair of WorldSkills Australia and founding partner of the International Professional Standards Network.

Watch an interview with Jeanette Allen.

Western College
New South Wales

Located in Dubbo, 500km west of Sydney, Western College assists its community of over 40,000 people to meet the challenges of geographical isolation, periodic droughts and limited employment options.

Using flexible training delivery methods, Western College offers nationally accredited programs for nearly thirty different qualifications ranging from Certificate I qualifications through to the Diploma level. More than 1,300 people participate in these vocational education and training programs annually across the fields of business studies, retail, hospitality, agriculture, construction, aged care and community services.
 
The College uniquely tailors services for disengaged youths, unemployed adults and people with disabilities and social and economic disadvantages. In particular, the College is addressing the challenge of raising numeracy and literacy levels, particularly among the 2,500 local Indigenous Australians enrolled at the College.
 
A key to the success of the College is its use of the Skilling Regional Australia model which pinpoints the four areas in which the college makes a difference – at the regional, community, enterprise and individual levels.

Watch an interview with Western College.

TAFE NSW - Western Sydney Institute
New South Wales

For TAFE New South Wales - Western Sydney Institute (WSI), sustainability is more than just a single program or initiative; it is a whole of business philosophy in the delivery of green skills training to 114,000 individual, community and industry learners.
 
WSI’s world class Green Skills Hub and EcoSkills Centre ensures their students have exposure to the latest green and renewable technologies as part of their training, providing them opportunities to experience technologies to which they may not yet be exposed.
 
WSI’s range of programs and facilities ensure they fulfil their commitment to being a major contributor to the social and economic development of the Western Sydney region through the provision of responsive, flexible and accessible vocational education and training – in which green skills training is embedded from Certificate I to Advanced Diploma qualifications.
 
Innovative industry-led projects and partnerships along with highly trained staff ensure that WSI continues to be a leader in sustainability practices and vocational education and training.

Watch an interview with TAFE NSW – Western Sydney Institute.