The VET Development Centre is the proud sponsor of the Teacher/Trainer of the Year Award at the Annual Victorian Training Awards, a sponsorship that VDC has been involved in since the mid-2000s.
Held on Friday 19th September, winners of the 71st Annual Victorian Training Awards were announced at a Gala, celebrating the outstanding achievements of individuals and organisations in the Victorian vocational education sector. The prestigious Victorian Training Awards bring together apprentices, trainees, students, teachers, training providers, employers, and industry representatives.
Congratulations Tarmi A’Vard, winner of the VDC Sponsored Teacher/Trainer of the Year.
Tarmi has 20 years of professional experience in roles in adult community corrections, youth justice and Aboriginal co-operatives. Prior to joining TAFE, she taught criminology and criminal justice in the university sector, where she developed a strong theoretical foundation that she now applies in the Diploma of Justice and Diploma of Community Services programs at Bendigo TAFE.
Academic rigor is integrated with real-world application to prepare students for working in the sector including excursions to courts and prisons. The student cohort is diverse, from school leavers to those with educational barriers, so Tarmi uses flipped classrooms, simulations, and trauma-informed methods. One key innovation has been in developing real case simulations where students explore progressive case file activity, practice risk assessments, and engage with complex justice concepts, which builds confidence and job-readiness.
Tarmi’s initiatives strengthened applied learning, improved assessment outcomes, increased enrolments and opened new pathways for justice careers and further education, including degrees in criminology and law.
The Victorian Training Awards 2025 Teacher/Trainer of the Year category featured outstanding finalists; congratulation to Chris Dickeson, Certificate II in Construction Pathways, and Ben Pratt, Certificate III Barbering, both from The Gordon.
