Employer: Australian Institution of Education and Training at Huonville High School/Huon Valley Trade Training Centre

Since 2012, when he created the Huonville High School Cookery program, Roy has been working in VET through the Huon Valley Trade Training Centre to improve the prospects for students in the food and hospitality sector.

From the initial small group of adult learners, Roy has grown the capacity for the High School to offer quality hospitality training to the Huon Valley region. As part of the Huon Valley Trade Training Centre year 11/12 team, Roy has been heavily focused on using community and industry links to promote the role VET plays in improving the prospects of students, the school and the community. As well as teaching, Roy regularly co-ordinates parent information nights, bringing families to the Centre to showcase the numerous VET courses available.

Roy was integral in the development of the vocational course offerings for 2022. Taking into consideration the devastating impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the tourism industry. Roy is purposely adapting the hospitality courses to have a tourism flavour, and is developing ways to promote opportunities in that sector. Furthermore, through his connections with the Huon Valley Council, Roy regularly showcases his students’ work through events and functions, including the ‘eating with friends’ initiative which brings people together. As part of the 2021 Mid-Winter Taster Day Roy is using these connections to proudly display VET through the Huon Valley Trade Training Centre.