By Alesha Capone
Jennie Barrera says she enjoys working with the community, especially young people, and seeing how education can make a difference in their lives.
For more than 10 years, Ms Barrera has served as chief executive of the Wyndham Community and Education Centre (WCEC) in Werribee, where she first started as a teacher in 1994. She also serves as chair of the Wyndham Humanitarian Network.
Ms Barrera’s dedication and passion to education led to her receiving the Lynne Kosky Memorial Award for Lifetime Achievement at the Victorian Training Awards, which were held in August.
Ms Barrera was also presented with the National Achievement Award at the Australian Training Awards last month.
Ms Barrera said that even before she won the national award, receiving the Lynne Kosky Memorial award “was totally unexpected” and “a great thrill”.
Ms Barrera said she had been involved in the education field for almost 40 years.
“I mostly enjoy working directly with community and especially with young people – the team I work with at Wyndham CEC get an opportunity daily to make a difference in the lives of so many people,” she said.
Under Ms Barrera’s leadership, the WCEC has incorporated Vocational Education and Training (VET) into the range of services it offers, including courses such as literacy, language and numeracy, early childhood education and digital literacy.
Ms Barrera said that it was her own “great teachers”, and a realisation that education could change lives, which led her to pursuing a career in the field.
“From a very young age, I had a sense that only through education could I unlock the cycle of disadvantage in my own life – create new opportunities and build confidence,” she said.
“Education empowered me and I strongly believe it can empower every individual.
“The transformative power of education should never be taken for granted – inclusive and equitable education and community services should be a basic human right, to enable people to achieve their full potential.”
