Past
When Liam Muldoon was named Runner-up in the 2017 Vocational Student of the Year category, he had recently completed a Certificate IV in Automotive Mechanical Diagnosis and was working as a fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) technician in New South Wales.
Despite juggling the demands of a young family, studying remotely and only meeting his tutor face-to-face occasionally, his enthusiasm and effort paid off, equipping him with a unique skill set that was highly sought after by employers.
In 2017, Liam shared his passion with us by applying for the Australian Training Awards hoping to one day inspire and train other young apprentices. Fast-forward 7 years into the future, and he is doing just that!
Present
In 2024, Liam left the FIFO world behind, and has transformed his career from being a student in VET to teaching in the mechanical repair and maintenance sector at TAFE New South Wales.
Liam says, “my Certificate IV in Automotive Mechanical Diagnosis helped advance my skill sets and improve effectiveness and accuracy of my diagnostics. I am always looking for opportunities within training to improve and grow my skill sets and increase opportunity and employability. Amongst a number of short courses and training events, I also completed my Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, allowing me to give back and teach the next generation in the mechanical industry.”
One of the key benefits Liam has seen from this change is being able to rely on a regular pattern of work, allowing him to be home each night to spend more time with his family.
To others considering VET as a pathway to upskill and reskill, Liam says, “consider it! It is a fantastic pathway with so many options for learners.”
Australian VET Alumni
After his experience at the Australian Training Awards, Liam signed up to become an Australian VET Alumni, and has been a passionate advocate for VET ever since!
“The Australian Training Awards has been a fantastic opportunity. I have been given exposure to so many interesting and inspiring people through it and made great friends. It has given me recognition within my industry and propelled my career forward into awesome opportunities,” Liam says.
Throughout his time as an Alumni, Liam has been involved with the NSW Government’s Educational Pathways Program, spoken in schools to students and educators on the advantages of VET and his own career journey and has mentored finalists at the Australian Training Awards twice!
Future
What is Liam hoping the future will look like for him? He wants to focus on delivering high quality training and developing the next generation of tradespeople.
We can’t wait to see what the next 7 years will bring for Liam!
More information
Interested in exploring a career like Liam’s? Explore VET courses on the Your Career website: