Kyneton’s Elliot Foster has been named Inspirational Student of the Year and Student of the Year Animal Studies in the 2024 Bendigo TAFE Industry Excellence Awards.
Elliot currently works with Farmer Darryl, a mobile animal farm based in Kyneton, where he assists with animal care and event setup across Victoria.
After struggling to continue education in mainstream school, Elliot found a place to combine his learning journey with his passion in caring for animals at TAFE.
A neuro-diverse learner, Elliot began in the Certificate II in Animal Care and advanced to Certificate III in Animal Care Services where he quickly progressed with some customised support in place.
Gradually Elliot’s confidence and independence grew.
“We organised with the TAFE to do a kind of split course. My mum would always drive me and stay in the car park, and I would always go and sit with her for lunch,” Elliot said.
“It was not easy to integrate myself but then eventually I did start to break out of my shell a bit and I was able to catch public transport on my own.
“I’ve always loved animals since I was young, the way they behave, the way they can understand us and the connection we can have with them.
“That’s why I chose to come here and do Animal Studies at Bendigo TAFE and throughout the year, I knew that I could start taking the next step.
“I kind of wanted to do something that helps other people through animals, they’ve helped me with my anxiety and keep me very grounded and centred and give me a lot more confidence as well.”
