Paul Clerks
Executive chef Turfside Tabaret, former Head Chef The Bellevue, Lakes Entrance

"Getting that hands-on experience and the right knowledge from people (at GippsTAFE) who had been there and done that, really gave me good direction and gave me some thing to aim towards.

"If you're interested in getting into hospitality, as a first step so you can attain those basic skills and knowledge (at GippsTAFE). From there getting out into the workforce and meeting more people should lead to a pretty secure job within, I would say, about three months."

Terry Pritchard
Former GippsTAFE student now undertaking further study

"The experience of learning and getting back into the system of learning, it creates the desire to want to learn more. I think that's one of the key factors because once you start opening your mind to learning again, you start embracing things you hadn't considered before and giving yourself all sorts of new opportunities."

Graham Blaquiere
Former GippsTAFE student undertaking further study after completing Certificate II in Information Technology and a Diploma in Business Management

"In TAFE you're around other professionals and other people you can learn from, with their own work experience and knowledge. You can share ideas.

"One of the great things about studying at GippsTAFE is you can learn so many things that you perhaps didn't think you would. It's always different and you're always learning different things and speaking to different people. The people and the networking is also a great positive."

Now working at Sage Technology after completing Certificate IV in Information Technology

"It got me the foot in the door. It's a popular industry now and I think that something like that gives you a bit of experience, gives you enough to get your foot in the door, and then gain more experience from there."