Professor Erica Smith of the University of Ballarat has been presented with the Berwyn Clayton Award for Distinguished Service at the recent annual conference of the Australian Vocational Education and Training Research Association (AVETRA).
This award, which is conferred only every two years, was instituted as a way of recognising the exemplary and distinguished service of nominated AVETRA members who have, through their endeavours, worked towards improving AVETRA’s status as Australia’s peak association for VET researchers.
Erica has been a member of the AVETRA National Executive Committee for 10 years and served as President for two years, recently retiring from the Executive after serving as Immediate Past President.
She has overseen several major new initiatives of the Association, and has mentored many newer Executive members.
“Erica’s leadership and comments on VET research matters and VET practice are highly regarded in the wider Vocational Education and Training Community,” Kevin Heys from NSW TAFE, who nominated Professor Smith, said.
“She is a highly professional member of the VET community and widely respected for her passion and commitment to VET research.”
“Professor Smith has represented AVETRA and the VET research community at several government inquiries and other national initiatives as well as at a meeting with an OECD delegation in 2008.”
Professor Smith said it was an honour to be nominated for, and to win, this award.
“AVETRA is a major organisation with 240 members. Unusually among research associations, many members are practitioners such as teachers and managers in TAFE and other training providers as well as members of State and national government departments that oversee VET,” Professor Smith said.
“This means that research, policy and practice and inked in a way that is relatively unusual.”
At the recent conference in Canberra, where the award was conferred, keynote speeches were given by top national speakers from government and the VET sector as well as well-known international scholars.
Professor Smith will continue to serve AVETRA through convening the experienced researchers’ group of the association.
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http://www.ballarat.edu.au/media-releases/ub-researcher-wins-major-national-award
