For our Educational Pathways VET Ambassadors, a school visit is a rewarding and fulfilling experience. When that visit turns into a student pursuing not only a vocational education and training (VET) pathway, but one in your chosen field, it is a special day for the Ambassador.

This was the case for Maddi Camilleri after she attended Cecil Hills High School to talk to 130 students across years 11 and 12 in May 2022.

A seasoned veteran of the Educational Pathways VET Ambassadors team, Maddi has been attending Educational Pathways Program schools since the pilot following her NSW Training Awards success in 2019.

“It’s the part of my role as an Ambassador that I enjoy the most,” she says. “I love having honest and real conversations with the students and being able to show them that anything is possible,” says Maddi.

Growing up, Maddi wanted to be an interior designer. She put this passion to the test by completing a Certificate III in Design Fundamentals: Interior Design as part of her HSC. Although not a course that sent her on a career path in interior design, it was a course that helped her see what she really wanted to do.

“That’s the best part about VET, you don’t need to spend years studying something to realise that it might not be the right course or career for you,” Maddi adds.

After graduating high school, she went on to complete a Certificate IV in Civil Construction and commence a traineeship with SCP Consulting, a Sydney-based firm that specialises in major commercial projects.

During her visit to Cecil Hills High School last year, Maddi spoke about this journey and her experiences completing a traineeship whilst studying at a TAFE NSW campus. A lot of students stayed behind to ask Maddi questions, but there was one particular student who was not only inspired by a pathway in VET, but also a career within the same field.

Taneisha, a year 12 student at the time, continued to follow Maddi’s story after the school visit and stayed connected with the Ambassador. Knowing the value of being able to test-drive different industries, Maddi has looked forward to a time where she could help another young person find a career path that is right for them.

“I wanted to give her a taste of the industry and be able to decide if this really was the right career path for her,” Maddi says.

It only took 3 days for Taneisha and SCP Consulting to know that this was the right fit and that Taneisha would be an asset to the company. SCP Consulting offered Taneisha a part-time position over the summer, before offering her a traineeship position in January this year.

Taneisha progressed at a record rate at SCP Consulting thanks to the support and mentorship from Maddi.

“It’s incredibly rewarding to be able to give a young person the same opportunities I was given,” says Maddi.

With the Educational Pathways Program continuing to reach more students, the team of Educational Pathways VET Ambassadors continues to grow to represent the huge range of careers and industries that VET can offer.