Students with inspiring stories will share the stage with national celebrities at three Goulburn Ovens institute of TAFE graduations during March.
The 2022 Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott will be the keynote speaker at the graduation ceremonies, which will also feature Emcee Tim Campbell and nurse-turned-comedian Georgie Carroll.
They will be joined by graduating students from across the GOTAFE footprint, who will share their stories on stage.
The first of three graduations were held on Wednesday, March 1, at Trawool Estate, where students from GOTAFE’s Seymour and Wallan campuses graduated
Benalla and Wangaratta students will celebrate at the Wangaratta Performing Arts and Convention Centre (WPACC) on March 15 and Shepparton students will get their chance at the GV Hotel on March 22.
Yarrawonga mother-daughter duo Shelley and Emma Souter will speak at the Wangaratta and Benalla Graduation, sharing their story of completing a Diploma of Nursing at GOTAFE’s Wangaratta campus.
Shelley was a stay-at-home mum and operating her own beauty business for 15 years.
When COVID-19 struck, she knew it was time for a career change.
“I was in the beauty industry, and it shut down with COVID and I thought I wanted a career (where this) won't happen to me again,” Shelley said.
“At the time my dad was also terminally ill with cancer. So, I thought well, nursing is a good avenue to go down.”
Emma was studying teaching at university, but did not feel it was the right fit for her.
She decided to follow in her mother’s footsteps and enrol the Diploma of Nursing at GOTAFE.
“She just did it because I was and then she ended up loving it, too,” Shelley said.
Shelley and Emma supported each other through their studies.
“I couldn’t have got through it without her,” Shelley said.
“Our approach to studying and completing work was very different.
“The way we read things was different, too, like there could be one question and I would read it one way and she’d read it another.”
Shelley is now working as an Enrolled Nurse (EN) at an aged-care facility and Emma is working as an EN at Albury Wodonga Health.
Dylan Alcott is one of the nation’s most successful Paralympians and was named Australian of the Year in 2022.
He is the only male in any form of tennis to win the “Golden Slam” by taking out the Australian, French, Wimbledon, and US Open Championships along with a gold medal from the Tokyo Paralympic Games in 2021.
Dylan previously spoke at the GOTAFE Staff Development Day in September 2022, raising awareness of what it was like living with a disability.
Joining Dylan at the graduation ceremonies is guest speaker, nurse-turned-comedian, Georgie Carroll.
Georgie was the most requested when students were surveyed on who they would like to see at graduations.
She has had sell-out shows at major comedy festivals, with performances drawing on her 18 years of emergency and intensive care nursing, as well as her family life.
Tim Campbell, one of Australia’s most versatile and much-loved entertainers will once again be emceeing the events.
GOTAFE chief executive officer Travis Heeney said the graduation ceremonies were an important opportunity to celebrate the success of students.
“As well as their families, friends, peers and trainers who have supported them throughout their studies,” Mr Heeney said.
“We are incredibly proud to have a such a high calibre of guest speakers to inspire and motivate the graduating students as they enter the workforce and begin their professional journeys.”