The Gordon Institute of TAFE was presented with three awards at the recent Victorian International Education Awards, including the prestigious Premier’s Award for International Education Provider of the Year.
In addition to the Premier’s Award, the Gordon won awards for Excellence in International Student Experience and Excellence in International Education (TAFE).
The Gordon CEO Joe Ormeno said he was proud of his organisation’s commitment to its students.
“Our team has worked tirelessly over the past two years to ensure our international students stayed strongly connected to the Institute, the community and each other – it’s The Gordon experience,” Mr Ormeno said.
“I am immensely proud of the team’s achievements, including the teaching teams involved in delivering programs to our international students, the international team and our support teams.
“It’s a tremendous acknowledgement, especially on the back of what has been a challenging period. While our focus will always be on our students, awards like this serve as great recognition of our work.”
The Gordon instigated a range of initiatives throughout the COVID-19 lockdowns to minimise the impact of the pandemic on its students, including food relief parcels, phone check-ins, mental and general health support referrals and tailored administrative and financial support.
Executive director of commercial business Jana Perera said the awards were a result of the Gordon’s student-first approach.
“Based in regional Victoria, we recognise that it is imperative that our students feel supported – to mitigate any potential feelings of isolation and loneliness,” Ms Perera said.
“Our commitment to providing a supportive living and learning environment also extends to connecting students with local employers to give them valuable opportunities to gain experience in their industry, while strengthening their connection to the community.
“The international team minimised student withdrawals due to the pandemic’s lockdowns, through regular communication with students, providing a broad range of personalised support services internally and externally.”
