Lifelong Learner Stories
#ALW2024 Learning Ambassador Mick Curtis – Tasmania
Mick, originally from South Australia, began his working life in the abattoirs in Port Pirie. He struggled to complete Year 12, barely able to spell his own name. When he…
#ALW2024 Learning Ambassador Kerrie-Leigh Hume – Victoria
Kerry-Leigh, a 40-year-old mother of three, is the newly appointed Assistant Manager at Aurora Dairies Glenfyne farm near Cobden. Her farming journey began two years ago when she started milking…
#ALW2024 Learning Ambassador Haydon Grigg – South Australia
Haydon, 28, faced challenges fitting into traditional schooling and ultimately failed Year 12 due to difficulties with reading, writing, and socialising with others. He enjoyed hands-on learning, but his struggle…
#ALW2023 Learning Ambassador Terrence Lennon-Wingfield
Terrence Lennon-Wingfield, now 28, grew up in Ceduna, nearly 800 kilometres from Adelaide. He was often absent from school, due to illness and when he did attend, other kids made…
#ALW2023 Learning Ambassador Trudy Shan Walder
34-year-old Trudy Shan Walder left school at the beginning of Year 11. At the age of 29, as part of her recovery from domestic violence and significant injuries which will…
#ALW2023 Learning Ambassador Sunil Abbott
Sunil Abbott, aged 69, migrated to Australia from India in 2011 with the equivalent of a Year 12 education. He struggled to adapt and had little or no knowledge of…
#ALW2023 Learning Ambassador Belinda Flavel
Belinda Flavel, now 42 years old and a single mum to her 6 year old daughter started university at the age of 35. She didn’t finish year 10, because a…
#ALW2023 Learning Ambassador Grahame Neville
51-year-old Grahame Neville has worked in the same job in the laundry department of his local hospital for almost 30 years. It wasn’t that he lacked ambition. Grahame had been…
#ALW2023 Learning Ambassador Deanie De Boer
Deanie 46, struggled throughout her school years. She found it hard to keep up with her peers and her teachers labelled her as below average academically. She never dreamed she…
From school drop out to dreams of uni
In 2019, at age 15, Mikayla was disengaged from school, and started Certificate II in Career Pathways at Deniliquin TAFE. She proved to be a good student, and completed several…
Lillie means business
Lillie had struggled with the mainstream school education system and was looking for a change, so she could enter a career in business studies. She began studying at TAFE NSW…
Annette is a mentor and role model
Annette was a participant in one of the basic gardening courses run as part of an outreach program of the Sydney Botanic Gardens. When the course funding expired Annette, who…