Qualification: Certificate IV in Training and Assessment
RTO: Plenty Training
Employer: TAFE SA
Emily Stone completed her Certificate IV in Training and Assessment through Plenty Training while working as an instructor at TAFE SA and in her family gardening business. Her passion for plants began in childhood and ultimately led her from classical music to careers in horticulture, landscape design and education.
After completing a Certificate III in Horticulture, Emily was named the 2024 Nursery and Garden Industry of South Australia Horticulture Student of the Year. Recognising her ability to explain concepts clearly and support others to learn, one of her lecturers encouraged her to pursue a teaching career, revealing a pathway she had never considered.
Emily now balances her training with a Diploma of Landscape Design, industry work and classroom responsibilities. Drawing on both current industry practice and a creative approach to learning, she develops engaging resources and adapts her teaching to meet diverse learner needs.
Emily’s journey demonstrates how vocational education can help people grow unexpected careers, while nurturing the confidence, skills and potential of the next generation of learners.