Employer: Marist College Canberra 

David is a highly qualified and dedicated teacher. He delivers hospitality qualifications to years 11 and 12 students through the VET in Schools program at Marist College Canberra. His professionalism and passion for education have had a positive impact on students’ experiences at Marist and contributes towards a high volume of enrolments, year after year.

David’s teaching philosophy is to inspire young people to develop a life-long passion for cooking. He undertook a complete review of the training and assessment materials used at Marist, paying close attention to learning preferences from past and present students. He then implemented a series of online learning resources with his own instructional videos. As a result, the hospitality department was already prepared to continue delivering and producing excellent outcomes at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

David facilitates an in-house restaurant with themed lunches and dinners, which the students manage themselves. These events are always sold out within minutes of being announced. Feedback from diners informs ongoing improvements to the program.

David’s innovation and ability to ensure learners gain experience in VET transfers learning directly to the workplace. He is committed to engaging with a wide range of industry partners to showcase the breadth of the hospitality industry.