Antonio Zardo hasn't looked back since transitioning to a VET teaching position.
Photo by
Owen Sinclair
After years working in restaurants around Australia and the world, Antonio Zardo found settling into teaching a straightforward proposition.
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Since starting as a casual at Cobram Secondary College two years ago, he’s provided a critical base for students stepping from the classroom into the professional kitchen.
“I think it’s easy to teach something that you love,” the cookery teacher said.
Against the backdrop of a nationwide teacher shortage, Mr Zardo is one of a small group of trade-qualified teachers highly sought after by schools across the country.
Mr Zardo, here with Cobram Secondary College principal Kimberley Tempest, says his students get the benefit of both classroom and practical teaching.
Photo by
Owen Sinclair
His work at the college is paying off, with two students completing their Certificate IV under his mentorship at Sporties Barooga.
“Not only are they seeing what I’m doing, but they get to experience a real-life kitchen,” he said.
Mr Zardo completed a Cert IV in Training and Assessment, which qualified him to teach a VET class.
The course is available through most tertiary education providers, including TAFE, and can be completed in just six months.
Now, Cobram Secondary College is seeking out more locals interested in swapping their tools for the whiteboard marker.
Principal Kimberley Tempest at a recent career expo in Cobram.
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Contributed
“We’re really focusing on local people who are keen on teaching, and who are really keen on sharing their skills and who are invested in their community,” principal Kimberley Tempest said.
“There’s never been a better time to get into teaching than now.”