2010 Sydney Institute scholarship winners

Sydney Institute’s Scholarship Program has been established to support our students to achieve their ambitions – whether that’s to attend university or to gain practical skills needed to enter or re-enter the workforce.

Chantelle Leslie

Chantelle joined Aboriginal Employment Strategy a few years ago, she returned to the workforce after a break to have a family. 

She has always been interested in accounting and wants to gain skills to assist her in the position of Finance and Business Services Manager.

Chantelle hopes to complete the Diploma part-time and once completed will consider her options of further study and job opportunities.

Blanca Santofimio-Vieda

Blanca is from Columbia. She arrived in Australia in January 2009, to marry her now husband, who is also Columbian and to start a new life. In Columbia, Blanca worked in international business, in the foreign trade area.

Last year had its ups and down for Blanca, she faced adversity through an illness but this did not stop her completing her studies. She enjoyed the support and friendship she gained at St George College and St George Migrant Resource Centre, where she improved her English while studying Finance Services.

Blanca is looking forward continuing her studies – her next step is to study the Diploma and Advanced Diploma of Accounting. After graduation, she plans to work as an accountant.

Daniel Cowley

Daniel recently completed his HSC, where he enjoyed studying Design and Technology as well as Visual Arts. One of his projects while at school was making an innovative body board – he loved every aspect of this project, especially as he was able to experiment with different materials and design.

Daniel has a growing interest in applying design in relation to the environmental conditions and feels that the Diploma in Architectural Technology is the next step to learning more.

After the graduating from TAFE, Daniel would like to continue studying at university and gain valuable industry experience through work placements.

Jay-Bernadine Skennar

Jay-Bernadine has studied IT has school and just successfully completed the Certificate IV in Information IT Networking at Sutherland College – where she was the only girl in the class. She enjoyed the course and is looking forward to studying the Diploma, especially as there is an industry placement program at this level, where she can gain valuable work experience.

Jay-Bernadine’s plans to go onto to study IT at university, while her long term aspiration is to combine travel and her qualifications, to work in the IT around the world

Shaun Kozanic

Shaun recently left school. He has a strong interest in electronics, developed through an uncle who is an electrical engineer. Shaun has just moved to Sydney and is looking forward to the opportunities a new city and the scholarship will bring. The Diploma will provide Shaun with a pathway to university where he plans to study electronic engineering.

Shaun’s long term career goals are to work in nano-technology or bio-technology – areas in which he feels you can be innovative and will give him the best opportunities for the future.

Monica Maidana

Monica came out from Uruguay as a child with her family. After having taken time out from working in IT industry to start a family, she now feels she is ready to continue her career. Monica has always enjoyed working in IT and is looking forward to studying again – not only learn the latest technologies but also to build her confidence to help her get back into the workforce.

In the future, Monica would like to have her own IT company, specialising in small to medium consultations. This would also give her the chance to work flexible hours and help her balance family and work commitments.

Matthew McCarthy

Matthew previously worked as a marine surveyor, looking after petroleum products; testing fuel and chemicals for large companies such as Mobil. He decided to further develop his skills to be able to work and move up the ranks in a lab.

“In 2005 I studied Laboratory Skills, which I really enjoyed so I decided to further my study at TAFE to gain more of a qualification. Winning the Laboratory Science scholarship has been the highlight of studying at TAFE so far. Gaining the role of Laboratory manager would be my ultimate goal for the future. There are so many options open to me after I complete this course, I’d like to work overseas in the future, or perhaps go on to study at university.”