A woman from Laos who arrived in Australia with limited English skills is chasing her dream of a career in psychology, thanks to the skills she learnt at TAFE NSW.
As National Skills Week 2026 begins, TAFE NSW is celebrating the transformative power of skills and vocational education by shining a spotlight on graduates like Toon Vongsay, who are building new careers, overcoming adversity, and making a difference in their communities
At a time when four in five (82%)1 Australian businesses reported experiencing skills shortages last year, practical, industry-focused training is helping people access new career opportunities while building the workforce needed to support NSW’s future economic growth.
For Toon, a single mother of three children, studying at TAFE NSW was life changing. After moving from Laos in 2015 with limited English, Toon firstly enrolled in the Certificate IV in English for Academic Purposes to build the language and academic skills she needed to pursue her long-held dream of university study. She then studied a Diploma of Project Management.
Now studying a Bachelor of Science at UNSW majoring in neuroscience and psychology, Toon credits TAFE NSW for helping strengthen her English, develop her academic skills, and build a pathway towards higher education – and a brighter future for herself and her children.
“Studying at TAFE NSW changed my life in ways I never imagined,” Toon said. “To now be at university in Australia is more than I ever dreamed of, and TAFE NSW was the bridge that helped me reach that dream.”
“Just two and a half years ago, I was a mother of three with very little confidence in my English. I was relying on my partner and often felt small and without control over the direction of my own life.”
“After my relationship broke down, I had to rediscover who I was and what I wanted for my future.
TAFE NSW gave me more than an education. It gave me back my confidence, independence, and sense of purpose. Through studying, I began to remember the person I was before and realised what I was capable of achieving.”
“Today, I am living a life that once felt like only a dream.”
Toon is now aiming to work as a clinical psychologist once she completes her university degree, and also hopes to complete a PhD.
Vocational education continues to deliver strong outcomes, with Jobs and Skills Australia data showing 88 per cent of VET graduates are employed after completing their qualification and median income increases by $14,100 in the year following completion2.
Minister for TAFE, Skills and Tertiary Education, Steve Whan said Toon’s story demonstrates the powerful role skills training can play in changing lives and building communities.
“Skills change lives. That’s why National Skills Week is such an important opportunity to celebrate the people building new futures through vocational education and training.”
“TAFE NSW delivers the skills that work, helps people get into jobs, transition to new careers and build the confidence to take on new opportunities.
“The days of having one job for life are becoming less common. More people are retraining, adapting and building new skills throughout their careers, and TAFE NSW is helping them do exactly that.”
“The impact goes well beyond what’s on paper. Stories like Toon’s show how skills training and VET can transform lives and communities.”
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