Ngiyampaa/Wiradjuri man Taylor Hampton takes out prestigious leadership award

Proud Ngiyampaa/Wiradjuri man Taylor Hampton has been announced as the 2024 winner of the Uncle Norm Hunter Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year Award in the 2024 Kangan Institute Industry Excellence Awards program. 

 

Mr Hampton enrolled in Kangan Institute’s Certificate IV in Leadership and Management to expand his career opportunities while working at the Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA) and said the award win was recognition of his commitment to gain vital knowledge to develop his own leadership style and put what he learned into practice in the workplace.

 

Since completing his studies Mr Hampton has taken on a new role as an (acting) external training program manager which saw him travel around Victoria to deliver cultural training.

 

“I am very proud of winning this award. I’ve always wanted to go into leadership. It’s one of those big ambitions of mine,” he said.

 

“I really enjoyed the course – it was about becoming a leader and the components to that as well, like communicating, having difficult conversations… all those little things that I didn’t even think about.”

 

Mr Hampton is also a senior facilitator for VACCA’s Koorie FACES program and is working on a new program to support parents and carers of Aboriginal children to embed culture in their homes. He has also co-authored a children’s book, Our Mob, to celebrate pride in practicing Aboriginal culture.

 

A total of 80 vocational students and apprentices were honoured at the 2024 Kangan Institute Industry Excellence Awards, including Feona Magtanum who hasn’t let living with cerebral palsy stand in the way of her ambitions of working as an early childhood educator. 

 

“As soon as I walked in and saw the children, I just knew straight away that was what I wanted to do,” she shared.

 

Ms Magtanum took advantage of the Fee Free TAFE initiative, enrolling in a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care (CHC50121), and said that Kangan Institute’s course coordinator and education support worker were both very supportive when it came to navigating the challenges of study. 

 

“The teachers were always so supportive,” she said.

 

“They taught me a lot about their experience and how to overcome challenges. They were very flexible with my study and had the support I needed. I feel like I owe them a lifetime.”

 

“Everything I’ve learned here is exactly the expectations they have at placement. When I was at the centre, I knew exactly what they needed me to do. I was very prepared for everything.”

 

Since completing her qualification Ms Magtanum has secured work in ECEC and will commence employment next month. 

 

Kangan Institute Chief Executive Officer Sally Curtain congratulated all winners, reflecting on the vital role of TAFE in enabling students to achieve success in critical skill shortage areas.

 

“For nearly 100 years Kangan Institute has played an integral role in Melbourne to support students in gaining skills and training for successful careers while meeting critical skill needs in Victoria,” she said.

 

“Vocational education and training is absolutely critical right now. Government and industries are relying on TAFE to equip students with the in-demand skills of the future. There is no better evidence of that than in our award winners who have worked hard to excel and are now well-positioned to help employers take their business to the next level!”

 

Ms Curtain thanked the Institute’s industry collaborators and the Victorian Government for their support. 

 

For a full list of winners please visit Kangan’s website, here.