These awards are available to Melbourne Polytechnic students who have demonstrated a capacity for leadership and demonstrated outstanding levels of skill and commitment within their fields of study.Â
Students are judged on:
Congratulations to our 2024 award recipients and thank you to our generous award sponsors.
Get to know our Outstanding Student of the Year Award winners for 2024. Congratulations to all of our awardees.
Click the awardee's name to hear their story.
Holly - Diploma of Visual Arts
Rebecca Abeykoon - Bachelor of Early Childhood Education
Samuel Hoye - Bridging and Prep
Rickie Martin - Certificate III in Glass and Glazing (Designed Glazing)
Darren Wardle - Certificate III in Sports Turf Management
Benjamin De Luca - Certificate I in Work Education
Holly - Creative Arts
Jillian Magat - Business, Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics
Kulwant Singh - Construction
Tiffany Kobakian - Food, Fibre and Animal Industries
Sarah Nega - Human Services and Education
Benjamin De Luca - Human Services and Education
Rebecca Abeykoon - Arts, Education and Agritech
Guanrong Ren - Business & Construction - Bachelor of Information Technology
Charlotte Jones - Bridging and Prep - Diploma of Auslan
Samuel Hoye - Bridging and Prep
Sam Koraeel - English as an Additional Language
Overall Outstanding VET Student of the Year
Creative Arts: Diploma of Visual Arts
Holly's artistic journey reignited at Melbourne Polytechnic. Inspired by the vibrant Preston Market, her artwork captures the essence of everyday life. This award celebrates her artistic growth and unique perspective.
Business, Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics: Diploma of Information Technology
Jillian excelled in her IT studies with support from her aunt. Her hard work led to recognition as a VET Student of the Year. Jillian is now pursuing a Bachelor degree in IT, focusing on software development.
Construction: Certificate III in Construction Waterproofing
Recognised as the Construction Outstanding Student of the Year, Kulwant's story resonates with hope and perseverance, inspiring others to embrace change and seize opportunities in the pursuit of success.
Food, Fibre and Animal Industries: Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing
A childhood dream of becoming a vet nurse became reality for Tiffany. Her passion shone through her studies, with encouragement from a supportive environment, and now she's ready to make a difference in animal care.
Human Services and Education: Diploma of Community Services
Sarah's personal journey inspired her passion for community services to support others facing similar challenges in navigating a new country. Her academic achievements and passion will help create positive change in many people's lives.
Work Education: Certificate I in Work Education
During his course's work experience placement, Benjamin secured a job at Australia Post after impressing his manager. Aside from his academic achievements, he is also a passionate soccer player, and Lego enthusiast, now pursuing music sound production.
Overall Outstanding Higher Education Student of the Year
Arts, Edu and Ag: Bachelor of Early Childhood Education
Rebecca, inspired by her own experiences, found her calling in early childhood education. She aims to create safe and nurturing environments for children, while building a relationship with young learners.
Outstanding Foundation Student of the Year
Bridging and Prep: Certificate I in General Education for Adults
Samuel overcame early educational challenges with the help of a dedicated teacher. He found confidence through a supportive environment to excel in his course as an outstanding student.
English as an Additional Language: Certificate III in EAL (Access)
Coming from an Arabic-speaking country, Sam overcame linguistic barriers to excel in the EAL program. He found joy in Australian cuisines and solace in photography, with the hopes of pursuing a career in design.
Outstanding Indigenous Student of the Year
Certificate III in Glass and Glazing (Designed Glazing)
Rickie, an activist artist, discovered glass and glazing, using his craft for positive activism. His journey to an award-winning student highlights his dedication to storytelling through art.
Outstanding Apprenticeof the Year
Certificate III in Sports Turf Management
Darren transitioned from architecture to greenskeeping, finding his passion in turf management. He now works at Australia's top golf course, applying his design background and continuous learning approach to excel in his field.