Bridget Bailey, Corryong College
Bridget demonstrated outstanding dedication, resilience and achievement throughout her VCE Vocational Major studies at Corryong College. She performed strongly across Literacy, Personal Development Skills, Work Related Skills, General and Foundation Mathematics, and Biology, consistently approaching her learning with maturity, motivation and purpose. Her success in both academic and practical settings made her a role model to peers and a valued member of the school community.
A major highlight of Bridget’s achievement was her ability to balance school with a School-Based Traineeship at Walwa Veterinary Practice. She completed her Certificate II in Animal Studies ahead of schedule and then commenced a Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing, showing initiative, excellent time management and a clear commitment to her future career in animal care. Her employers and teachers recognised her strong work ethic and professional potential.
Bridget also made a significant contribution through her role as Vice-Captain at Corryong College. She supported assemblies, fundraisers and community events such as The Big Freeze and Do it for Dolly Day, demonstrating leadership marked by kindness, reliability and empathy. In addition, Bridget’s participation in a podcasting course led to an on-air speaking opportunity with Radio Upper Murray, where she confidently shared her learning journey.
Her accomplishments were especially significant given the disruptions caused by the 2019–2020 bushfires and COVID-19 lockdowns, which deeply affected her rural community and cohort. Bridget responded with resilience, adaptability and determination.
Overall, Bridget reflected the core values of the VCE Vocational Major: perseverance, leadership, community spirit and vocational commitment.
Emma Eaton, Ballarat Grammar
Emma demonstrated outstanding achievement throughout her VCE Vocational Major program, consistently striving for excellence across academic, vocational, and community contexts. From the outset, Emma committed herself to strengthening her mathematical understanding, dedicating significant time to practising skills, seeking feedback, and building confidence. Her perseverance reflects the broader determination she brought to the entire program.
Beyond her academic achievements, Emma maximised every opportunity offered within the program. She completed multiple micro-credentials - including First Aid, Responsible Service of Alcohol, Barista Skills and Food Handling - and successfully completed two Certificate III VET qualifications. These experiences broadened her employability and supported the discovery of her passion for photography.
Emma was also an integral contributor to the student-led café, frequently volunteering her recesses and stepping in whenever help was needed. Her reliability and willingness to take initiative highlighted her strong work ethic.
Taken collectively, Emma’s achievements illustrate a student who embraced every facet of the VCE Vocational Major program, grew academically and personally, and produced work of an exceptional standard. Her journey embodies the vision and outcomes of the VCE Vocational Major.
Isabella Mavrogiannis, Northern College of the Arts and Technology
Isabella excelled across all areas of the VCE Vocational Major program. She consistently produced work of the highest standard and demonstrated leadership, initiative, and a strong commitment to her learning and future pathway. Throughout the program, she strengthened her employability skills, actively pursued pathway opportunities, and made a meaningful impact on both the school and wider community.
As an active member of, and ambassador for, the Young Women in Trades and Technology (YWTT) group, Isabella supported and mentored younger female students, and helped plan and run whole-school activities. She represented Northern College of the Arts and Technology at other schools, industry expos, community events and assemblies, always displaying confidence and professionalism. She also led school tours for prospective families and served as the building and construction spokesperson at information evenings, demonstrating excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
Her excellence extended to the Certificate II in Building and Construction, where she contributed significantly to multiple projects. Isabella supported VET plumbing by building wall frames for pipe installation training and completed painting and maintenance tasks in the sport area. She also showed initiative, teamwork, leadership and project management skills, including leading a team to plan and construct walls for the VET Electro program, improving the delivery of the Fix and Secure Unit of Competency. She delegated tasks, solved problems and ensured the project met deadlines and quality standards.
Blair Schwager, Wodonga Senior Secondary College
Blair demonstrated consistent excellence throughout his VCE Vocational Major program, maintaining high engagement while completing a School-Based Apprenticeship and Traineeship (SBAT), casual employment, cultural leadership responsibilities, and multiple community commitments.
This balancing act required sustained organisation, self-management, and maturity, and Blair excelled in each of these areas. He maintained a steady pace across his subjects, negotiated adjusted due dates for more complex tasks, and ensured high-quality submissions while honouring all external commitments.
Blair was also selected for the Koorie Academy of Excellence, an achievement recognising his leadership, cultural strength, and academic commitment. His involvement included workshops, cultural activities, and pathway mentoring, all of which he embraced with enthusiasm. In addition, Blair was a recipient of the Indigenous Youth Program Scholarship, acknowledging his dedication to academic progress, cultural engagement, and community involvement.
Blair demonstrated cultural leadership as a proud Koorie student by performing the Acknowledgement of Country at all major school events, including assemblies and the Year 12 Valedictory. His respectful delivery strengthened cultural recognition within the school and demonstrated the leadership capabilities that sit at the heart of the VCE Vocational Major program.
Lachlan Ham, Balwyn High School
Lachlan consistently demonstrated excellence across every aspect of his engagement with the VCE Vocational Major program. He distinguished himself not only through his reliability and positive attitude, but through a high level of engagement, skill development and initiative that set a benchmark for his cohort.
Lachlan’s commitment to learning was evident from the beginning of Year 11. He approached each class - Literacy, Numeracy, Work Related Skills, and Personal Development Skills - with focus, curiosity, and a genuine desire to improve.
A key feature of Lachlan’s program achievements was his exceptional performance in his School-Based Apprenticeship (SBAT) in plumbing. Beginning the apprenticeship in Year 11, he demonstrated professionalism, eagerness to learn, and ability to take on increasingly complex tasks. His employer reported that Lachlan displayed excellent attitude and motivation. Lachlan’s VET Plumbing teacher echoed this, noting his punctuality, preparedness, and enthusiasm. He reported that Lachlan’s ability to apply himself to every task reflected his strong work ethic and genuine interest in the plumbing trade.
Lachlan also demonstrated academic initiative, completing missed classwork around SBAT and VET commitments and maintaining a very good standard across all subjects. His organisational skills and resilience were exemplary, particularly given the demands of block training and weekly apprenticeship days.
By the end of Year 12, Lachlan had not only completed the VCE Vocational Major with distinction but was ready to commence 2026 as a second-year plumbing apprentice. His achievements reflect not just capability, but excellence: a highly skilled, motivated and community-minded young person whose performance epitomised the values of Balwyn High School’s VCE Vocational Major program.
Tom Montgomery-Scobie, Parade College
Tom consistently demonstrated excellence across academic, vocational, and personal development domains throughout his VCE Vocational Major program. His outstanding commitment was recognised at graduation, where he received the school’s Outstanding VCE Vocational Major Student Award for achievement across all areas of the program. In addition, he was presented with the Nolan Cup, an honour awarded to one student who exemplifies exceptional leadership, initiative, and contribution to both school and community life.
Tom’s academic success extended to specific subject areas, earning awards for Certificate II in Building and Construction (Carpentry) and VCE Vocational Major Numeracy. These achievements reflected his ability to apply theoretical learning to real-world contexts, especially in practical trade settings where accuracy, teamwork, and responsibility are essential.
Beyond his coursework, Tom represented the school and broader vocational education community as a student presenter at the Victorian Applied Learning Association (VALA) Conference. He shared the success of the school’s garden and farm program, offering insight into how other schools could integrate similar projects into their vocational learning frameworks.
Tom also demonstrated consistent leadership within the school community. He took initiative in group projects, mentored younger students exploring both vocational and VCE pathways, and actively promoted the value of applied learning.
Tom’s achievements reflect his dedication, initiative, and community spirit. He embodies the values of the VCE VM: commitment to excellence, a strong work ethic, and a desire to use learning to make a meaningful contribution beyond the classroom.
Ollie Lloyd, David Scott School
Ollie took every opportunity to work on the goals he set for himself throughout 2024 and 2025, including focusing on building communication and emotional intelligence skills. Ollie took the opportunity to be a part of the Ocean Mind Program offered to VCE Vocational Major Unit 2 students which he personally counts as a changing moment in his life. The program was part of his Working Community Project and taught him patience, resilience and tolerance.
The Program connected Ollie with like-minded people; people that had experienced difficulties themselves but had gone on to challenge themselves to succeed and make a difference.
He then became a mentor at Ocean Mind completing several courses so that he could support young people who are facing the same adversities he himself has experienced.
Relentlessly challenging himself, Ollie also sat on a panel with 5 other David Scott School students speaking about his journey and why he chose the Ocean Mind Program to focus on for his Working Community Project.
During 2025, Ollie became a collaborative team member of his class and the whole year 12 cohort. He was also a mentor to students within the school facing challenges and, by the end of 2025, found himself describing the school as a family; having made many friends and becoming a much-welcomed visitor during his weekly classroom visits.
Ryan Mills, McClelland College
Ryan demonstrated a sustained commitment to industry engagement and professional development throughout his VCE Vocational Major pathway. He completed workplace placements with Qube Logistics that exposed him to real-world operational practices, safety procedures and workplace expectations, and he successfully undertook a Certificate II in Light Rail Fundamentals at Hallam Secondary College, taking targeted steps toward his long-term goal of train driving.
These experiences developed Ryan’s technical competence and strengthened his workplace behaviours, including punctuality, follow-through, and the ability to accept and act on feedback.
In his role as school captain he modelled maturity and emotional intelligence, building strong rapport with both peers and staff. His leadership style was collaborative by listening, delegating and bringing people together to achieve shared goals.
Ryan’s achievements were acknowledged across academic, vocational and community domains, with industry partners and school leadership recognising his work ethic and industry engagement. He earned personal learning awards in Personal Development Skills, Numeracy and Work Related Skills, recognition that reflected both his classroom progress and applied learning strengths.
Ryan never allowed autism to be a barrier but instead saw it as his superpower. Ryan’s influence permeated everyday student life. He assisted peers with placements, and represented student perspectives at school forums. His community-focused leadership inspired both staff and students, proving that authentic, inclusive leadership can transform school culture.
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