By Casey Neill
Maria Peters was “incredibly honoured” to receive an Australia Day Award for her final year at the helm of Chisholm Institute.
“This is great recognition for me personally but I like to think it’s more about the impact Chisholm has had at a local level in its community,” she said.
“I’ve been supported by fantastic staff and other leaders and a great board.
“That’s what we’re there for.”
She received the corporate nod at the Greater Dandenong Australia Day Festival in Dandenong Park on Friday 26 January.
Ms Peters spent the past 30 years with Chisholm, the past seven as CEO, and stepped down late last year.
“I started working at Dandenong campus with culturally and linguistically diverse students, and disadvantaged students who had literacy and numeracy needs,” she said.
“I haven’t wavered from that initial commitment.
“Students have motivated me from the moment I stepped into the classroom.”
Ms Peters said Chisholm had become embedded in the community and worked closely with government and agencies.
“Education and training offers such opportunity,” she said.
“We want to make sure graduates have skills for the future, not just today.
“You’re contributing to the social and economic wellbeing of the community.”
Ms Peters said the timing was right to step away from Chisholm and she left with no regrets.
“I’ve been very enriched by the experience,” she said.
“I still have great passion about what vocational education and training can do.
“I would still like to be able to contribute back to the communities I’ve worked in.”
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