Passion for education

By Lia Bichel
CHISHOLM Institute CEO Virginia Simmons was awarded a prestigious Officer of the Order of Australia (OA) medal in the 2010 Australia Day Honours for her significant contribution to education.
The award recognises her service to education as a leader and advocate for vocational education and training, through reform of the Victorian TAFE Association, contributions to professional organisations, international advisory roles and as a mentor to women.
Only 27 people across Australia were awarded with the medal.
“I was surprised but I was thrilled,” she said.
“I don’t take it personally – I think more of it as an acknowledgment of Chisholm.”
Ms Simmons was the first woman to be appointed to Director of a TAFE Institute in Victoria and was a pioneer in her work to provide access for educationally disadvantaged groups of learners.
She helped develop the first Recognition of Prior Learning project in Australia, establish a Victorian Assessment Centre, establish the Caroline Chisholm Education Foundation in 2006 to support disadvantaged students in south-east Melbourne, and contributed to the integration of Corrections education into the TAFE system.
Chisholm Board president David Willersdorf said Ms Simmons was deserving of the award.
“Virginia has not only devoted her energies to the restructure and advancement of Chisholm to the standing and financial stability that it has now reached, but has also been instrumental in the promotion of education through the TAFE structure both nationally and internationally,” he said.