Bendigo TAFE’s animal studies student Jessica Stone has been named 7NEWS Young Achiever Awards VIC’s Inspirational TAFE Student in an award ceremony held last week.
Sponsored by Kangan Institute, the award recognises individuals enrolled in a TAFE course who have overcome adversity to find success through education.
A lifelong animal lover, Ms Stone enrolled in Certificate III in Animal Studies at Bendigo TAFE to forge a career in working with animals. Living with Autism has meant additional challenges, including struggling with environmental changes, sensory overload, challenges with understanding large chunks of information and difficulty with communication.
To overcome these challenges, the 27-year-old worked closely with Bendigo TAFE’s teachers and accessibility and disability support officers to create a learning experience tailored to her needs.
Despite taking three years of training (instead of the usual one year of training), Ms Stone successfully completed the Certificate III in Animal Studies in November 2021 and is currently pursuing the Certificate IV in Animal Studies.
Ms Stone said the award win came as a surprise and expressed her gratitude to her teachers and support workers.
“I never expected to win; I feel very proud, excited and overwhelmed,” she said.
“I would like to thank Emma Lanera (animal studies teacher) and Jodie Kemp, my support worker at TAFE, who helped me overcome the tough times over the years while doing animal studies.”
Ms Stone hopes to inspire others to dream big and believe in themselves.
“Anything can be possible, just believe in yourself,” she said.
Bendigo TAFE Chief Executive Officer Sally Curtain congratulated Ms Stone on her success.
“Congratulations to Jessica on this much deserved award. Jessica’s determination to succeed in education and in life, even in the face of challenges, is an absolute inspiration for us all and Bendigo TAFE is proud to be part of her training journey,” said Ms Curtain.
“Her success also reflects strong support from her teachers and disability officers at Bendigo TAFE. We are an all-inclusive education provider, with our students at the centre of everything we do, and we cherish our important role in the community in supporting all students to achieve personal and professional success.”
The annual 7NEWS Young Achiever Awards VIC celebrates outstanding young Victorians across 13 award categories. Winners of this year’s 7NEWS Young Achiever Awards VIC received a range of prizes, including $500 in prize money.
Finalists for the Kangan Institute Inspirational TAFE Student Award also included Bendigo TAFE graduate, Kwe Kaw, who migrated to Australia as a refugee and completed a Preparation for Study - Certificate II in Skills for Work and Vocational Pathways course at Bendigo TAFE.
To learn more about Bendigo TAFE and its courses, visit bendigotafe.edu.au
