Outstanding Student of the Year Awards 2026

Outstanding Student of the Year awards are awarded to Melbourne Polytechnic students who have shown outstanding levels of skill and commitment within their fields of study.

Students are judged on:

1. Career and study achievements
2. Communication, team and leadership skills
3. Ability to represent the training system at a broader level

Congratulations to our 2026 award recipients and thank you to our generous award sponsor.

Beth Gregory

Outstanding Food, Fibre and Animal Industries Student of the Year

Certificate IV in Horticulture AHC40422

Bhagyashree Patel

Outstanding Creative Arts Student of the Year

Diploma of Visual Arts CUA51120 (Illustration)

After leaving a successful interior design career, Shree rediscovered her passion for art at Melbourne Polytechnic, building confidence, creativity and a new future as an illustrator.

READ BHAGYASHREE'S STORY >

Mai Mizuno

Outstanding Business and Construction Higher Education Student of the Year

Bachelor of Information Technology

Mai turned her classroom learning into real-world innovation, building industry connections, and applying technical skills to develop solutions that have supported her career success.

READ MAI'S STORY >

Ying Jie Soon

Outstanding Bridging and Preparatory Student of the Year

Diploma of Auslan PSP51018

Ying turned a lockdown curiosity about Auslan into a rewarding career pathway, building language skills, community connections and a deeper sense of purpose at Melbourne Polytechnic.

READ YING'S STORY >

Lukas Duffy

Outstanding Work Education Student of the Year

Certificate I in Work Education 22706VIC

Lukas found his place, purpose and confidence through education and community support. His journey highlights personal growth, meaningful connections, and discovering a clear pathway for the future.

READ LUKAS'S STORY >

Hedyeh Moeinaldavoud

Outstanding English as an Additional Language Student of the Year

Certificate III in EAL (Access) 22640VIC

Hedyeh rebuilt her confidence and future through English language studies, earning Outstanding Student of the Year honours while supporting fellow migrants as a mentor, volunteer and interpreter.

Matthew Reinhard

Outstanding Apprentice/Trainee of the Year

Certificate III in Sports Turf Management AHC31324

After leaving a finance career, Matthew found purpose in sports turf management, building a hands-on career maintaining elite sporting surfaces through study and work-based training.

READ MATTHEW'S STORY >

Bakr El Haouli

Emerging Leader - Outstanding Foundation Student of the Year

VCE Vocational Major

After overcoming homelessness, mental health challenges and setbacks in education, Bakr learned to ask for help, completed his VCE-VM, and rebuilt confidence in his future.

READ BAKR'S STORY >