Virginia Hunt
After a fulfilling 30‑year career in higher education, Virginia was ready for a new challenge. Wanting to stay in education, she switched to primary schools by completing a Certificate IV in School-Based Education Support.
Living in rural Victoria, Virginia studied the course through Chisholm’s Online Plus program involving mostly online study with some face-to-face classes. Determined to succeed, Virginia overcame some challenges of remote learning, like poor internet connection, by travelling to local libraries and community centres to keep up with her coursework.
In the virtual classroom, Virginia was a supportive classmate and natural leader. She supported her peers, helping them navigate the online learning environment and ensuring everyone felt included. She even volunteered her time to mentor a new cohort of students outside her own class, offering guidance and encouragement.
Returning to study reignited Virginia’s confidence and gave her a great sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. It allowed her to gain the knowledge, experience and industry connections she needed to open new doors. This included obtaining her current role working in a primary school office.
Virginia has played a significant role in leading the development of her school’s Reconciliation Action Plan and encourages students to write a weekly Acknowledgement of Country. Through her initiative, she is enriching the school environment and fostering deeper cultural awareness, respect and understanding.
Virginia is now studying the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. She is a role model for her family showing that learning is a lifelong pursuit. Her long‑term goal is to become an Early Childhood Education TAFE teacher, where she hopes to continue supporting learners and contributing to her community.
Virginia is a finalist in the 2026 Chisholm Education Awards – Vocational Student of the Year.