Personalised for LOCAL students.
Local student means; you are an Australian citizen or permanent resident, a New Zealand citizen or a permanent humanitarian visa holder.
Personalised for INTERNATIONAL students.
International student means; you are not an Australian citizen or permanent resident, a New Zealand citizen or a permanent humanitarian visa holder.
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Outstanding Student of the Year Awards 2024

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. 

Students are judged on:

  1. Career and study achievements in their field of study
  2. Communication, team and leadership skills and
  3. Ability to represent the training system at a broader level

Congratulations to our 2024 award recipients and thank you to our generous award sponsors.

Frances Coppolillo and Rebecca Abeykoon at MP 2024 graduation ceremony dressed in black robes and holding an award.
Outstanding Student awardee Rebecca Abeykoon and Chief Executive Frances Coppolillo

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.

Overall Student of the Year Awards

Overall Outstanding Vocational Education Student of the Year

Overall Outstanding Higher Education Student of the Year

Overall Outstanding Foundation Student of the Year 

Outstanding Indigenous Student of the Year

Vocational Education Awards

Foundation Awards

Vocational Education Awards

Holly

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.

Read Holly's Story

Jillian Magat

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.

Read Jillian's Story

Kulwant Singh

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.

Tiffany Kobakian

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.

Read Tiffany's Story

Sarah Nega

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.

Read Sarah's Story

Benjamin De Luca

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.

Read Benjamin's Story

Higher Education Awards

Rebecca Abeykoon

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.

Read Rebecca's Story

Foundation Awards

Samuel Hoye

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.

Read Samuel's Story

Sam Koraeel

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.

Read Sam's Story

Overall Awards

Rickie Martin

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.

Read Rickie's Story

Darren Wardle

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.

Read Darren's Story

Sponsors

Thank you to our Outstanding Student of the Year Awards sponsors for 2024.