Secondary school student of the year finalists
WINNER
Aiden Beckinsale
Certificate II in Engineering Studies
Aiden has represented his school, Flinders Christian College and Chisholm TAFE with pride, earning him the Excellence Award at the Peninsula Applied Learning Awards in 2023. Aiden said he was surprised by his nomination as his attitude has always been to do his best and get on with the job. To his credit, he has been offered a school-based apprenticeship at GT & JA Jones Engineering where he is excelling at fabrication and welding.
Aston Tyro
VCE Vocational Major Year 12
In Year 11, Aston realised the traditional high school pathway was not for him. Instead, he chose a VCE Vocational Major through Chisholm TAFE.
In this education pathway, he thrived, grew in maturity and became a workplace leader.
His nomination is driven by his outstanding work ethic, leadership qualities and ability to immediately use key learnings into his workplace, one of the largest BP Service stations in Australia.
Mary-Louise Wakefield
Certificate II in Engineering Studies
A natural leader who has inspired her classmates with her positive attitude, Mary-Louise has excelled in her Engineering Studies course at Dandenong and created a goal to study Mechatronics at university. A leader in her local community through the Mornington Sea Scouts, Mary-Louise's enthusiasm and ‘gotta try’ attitude have brought her class closer together and determined to achieve.
Nick Sampson
VCE Vocational Major Year 12
Nick has an unwavering commitment to education and community service.
He made a conscious decision to shift from a pre-apprenticeship in plumbing to return to Year 12 and complete a business management/event planning course at Chisholm as part of his VCE Vocational Major.
Overcoming personal and medical obstacles, he has demonstrated great persistence in his academic pursuits, and continued to thrive as a volunteer with the Salvation Army.