Showcasing success: Behind the scenes with NSW Training winners

Lachlan Carey and Samantha Zannes are two of the New South Wales early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector’s most prominent names at the moment, having recently been named in the 2024 NSW Training Awards as Trainee of the Year and Vocational Student of the Year respectively. 

 

In the piece below we learn a little more about these ‘shining stars’, their path to ECEC, and how they feel about their recent wins. 

 

Paying it forward

 

For Mr Carey (shown below), who was a Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care trainee with Newcastle’s A Magical Time Children’s Centre, ECEC was not his initial career choice, but it has quickly become a sector which brings him joy, inspiration and comfort. 

 

The path out of high school and into a career has not been easy for the young man, who suffered physical and mental health challenges along the way, emerging on the other side determined, and inspired by those who supported him along the way. 

 

“There have been people who made a difference in my life by supporting me through my physical and mental health challenges,” he said.

 

“Without them, I’m not actually sure where I would be today.”  

Suffering two strokes in year 10 that required multiple surgeries and lengthy recovery times, Mr Carey was unable to return to school. He initially started an electrical apprenticeship but then changed to ECEC to pursue the passion for educating children which he discovered during his time as a rugby coach.   

 

As well as managing with the lingering effects which come with having had a stroke, Mr Carey is dyslexic, which often makes academic work challenging. Despite these difficulties, he was able to complete his studies with support, and found that the combination of theory and practice was the perfect blend for his learning style.

 
“My VET training was perfect for me,” he said.

 

“The course requirements were clear and I could link the theory and the practical together to gain confidence in my studies.” 

 

Having the experience of finding learning challenging, and of living through two major health events has made Mr Carey more compassionate as an educator, and has allowed him to connect more deeply with children who need additional support and attention. 

 

“I know what it’s like to experience challenges, setbacks and trauma,” he said.

 

“If I can be a role model and make a difference for a child, then this is where I want to be.”  

 

Using his capacity to tailor his communication techniques for the different audiences he interacts with daily has helped him to develop an innate ability to build trust, which he blends with his existing skills in self regulation and coaching, all of which give him a unique style and perspective as an educator, which has drawn great respect from his colleagues.

 

“His sensitive and inclusive mindset extends beyond his young charges, informing the type of world he hopes they grow up in,” one of his coworkers shared.

 

“He continually advocates for Indigenous communities and undertakes additional work experience at Kulai Aboriginal Preschool to embed culturally appropriate storytelling at his own centre.”

 

For Mr Carey, the completion of his Cert III, despite being one of his greatest achievements, is not the end of his professional learning journey – he’s  now pursuing a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care, and hopes his success can inspire others to consider stepping into various sectors and industries.

 

“I’d love to encourage more males to join ECEC and show that men in female-dominated sectors and women in male-dominated industries have a special kind of value,” he shared.   

 

Driven to make a difference 

 

For Vocational Student of the Year Samantha Zannes (shown in the lead image), who works at Jenny’s Kindergarten and Early Learning Centre in the regional community of Bathurst, he career journey is also deeply connected to her lived experience. 

 

Ms Zannes is driven by a desire to make a difference for children with additional needs, pursuing a qualification as an Early Childhood Teacher, building on her previous experiences as a primary based special education professional, a role she stepped away from to raise her own family. 

 

After ten years at home with her children she was ready to return to the field, but in this iteration wanted a way to connect with an approach to learning which mirrored her own personal education philosophy.

 

Having spent time in primary classrooms, Ms Zannes had come to realise that powerful intervention opportunities were also able to be found in the years before school, and soon set her focus on obtaining a Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care.   

 

“I loved that I had the ability to study online in my own time while gaining relevant sector on-the-job training at an early education provider,” she said.

 

This flexible learning approach allowed her to balance life and work, as well as the demands of raising two teenage boys.

 

As an unanticipated side effect, she also grew more confident in her leadership, communication, mentoring skills and capabilities.

 

“The VET course was perfectly aligned with sector requirements, it gave me the confidence, knowledge, and skills not only to complete my work role but to mentor and guide educators around me,” she explained.   

 

As a colleague and mentor, Samantha was recognised as a guiding light for many of her fellow educators pursuing their own learning journeys. Her commitment to supporting them alongside the diverse needs of her early learners was garnering her great respect.  

 

“The course was vital in helping me establish an environment that met the emotional, social, educational and physical needs of all children enrolled at my centre,” she said.

 

“It also gave me the tools I needed to operate under the Education and Care Services National Law and Regulations and the approved learning frameworks.”  

 

Completing the qualification delivered by ECTARC early childhood education services and training in just over 12 months, Samantha was then recognised within the teaching profession as an Early Childhood Teacher – a certification that would have taken her years to achieve through a university pathway.   

 

She is now the Assistant Director and Educational Leader of an early learning centre.

 

“My studies have contributed significantly to preparing me for this role, not only with the course content, but through the foundation of real-life training opportunities,” she explained.   

 

The Sector extends its congratulations to both Mr Carey and Ms Zannes, wishing them all the best as their careers progress.