Local teacher wins prestigious state training award

24 August 2009

Anne Eager, Sub Team Leader in Health and Community Services, at East Gippsland TAFE has won the highly prestigious Victorian Teacher/ Trainer of the Year Award at the 2009 Victorian Training Awards.

Ms Angela Hutson, CEO of East Gippsland TAFE said “this award is very deserving as Anne is a 20 year veteran of teaching and is totally committed to delivering excellence in teaching and learning for her students.”

Anne’s teaching career commenced as a Child Care teacher with East Gippsland TAFE in 1991. Over the past 20 years Anne has continually undertaken opportunities to learn and grow through developing skills and training capabilities in Community Services and the Aged Care sectors. “I feel privileged to teach in such a rewarding area as I can really see and experience the positive outcomes my students are making in their communities. I love working with all my students, their employers and my colleagues at East Gippsland TAFE, I feel very honour to receive this award in recognition of doing something I love.” Anne said.

Given that East Gippsland covers an expansive geographical area and East Gippsland TAFE has 17 locations across East Gippsland and Wellington Shires, isolation is a challenging factor when dealing with students. Anne is deeply committed to providing inspiration and practical leadership to help students in rural and remote communities to succeed. She has done this over 17 years through her commitment to and passion for flexible delivery. Her classes are frequently held at night and often on weekends.

Anne has an unblemished track record in relation to developing learning environments that are inclusive, enabling students from a wide variety of backgrounds to participate in life-long learning. In addition, Anne has often been a pioneer in adopting new technologies and integrating educational changes within the TAFE sector across Victoria – and has willing enthusiastically supported colleagues through mentoring and coaching in these areas.

East Gippsland TAFE’s Associate Director, Learning & Innovation, Ms Catherine Brigg said, “For years Anne has been a champion of online delivery and the use of technology. She takes every opportunity to encourage staff members who are already experienced in aspects of flexible delivery to advocate to their peers the benefits of using either videos, pod casting, telematic links, Online campus, audio recordings, BLOGS, chat rooms and the like to assist their learners.

Anne is always looking for ways to maximise students’ learning and continually develops challenges for, and provides inspiration to, her colleagues, staff and students. Anne’s enthusiasm and infectious joy at learning a new skill is an inspiration to her team members and students alike, and Anne is a very worthy recipient of this Award, she is an outstanding individual and teacher.”

The Victorian Government’s Victorian Training Awards reward outstanding achievements and innovations in vocational education and training. The Awards recognise the valuable contribution across the field, including apprentices, trainees, students, teachers, employers, training providers and industry in building a world-class vocational education and training system in Victoria.