Stephen Hughes

I always believed that if I was going to survive, I had to get educated. I worked as a cleaner at nights to pay board at friend’s houses so I could go to school and complete year twelve. I had a couple of teachers who really made a difference to me. They believed in me. One teacher told me that I could give up on myself but he wasn’t going to. When someone believes in you it is a huge motivation.

Much later, when I had the opportunity to work in special education and guidance counselling, I felt like I was giving something back. The education field has changed a lot over the years, but the passion of people who want to make a difference for the better in other people’s lives is always a living part of it.

After 22 years of experience as an educator working in schools, I found I was still passionate about the profession. I moved into tertiary education because I felt I had something to offer new generations of teachers, special educators and guidance officers.

I believe education is more than the occupation of teaching. It is a huge industry and social institution with many career pathways in it. Teachers, in particular, are best served by an attitude of optimism about their work and about the students and communities they serve. Such optimism is infectious and can make a huge difference in the lives of children and young people.