Levent Koca is the embodiment of hard work paying off.
The Albanvale local was left shocked when he took out Kangan Institute’s Student of the Year award recently.
“I went there expecting to win an award called the Golden Medallion, but when I found out I’d also won the Student of the Year I was blown away,” he said.
Mr Koca studied a diploma in community services and said the course immediately led to a job.
“I was fortunate enough to get a placement at VincentCare Victoria and that really helped me get a thorough understanding of the industry,” he said.
“Then two weeks after graduation I got a job offer from them for an ongoing position.
“I went from a student to full-time employment in the space of a fortnight, which was just absolutely life changing.”
Mr Koca credited his time at Tafe for his success.
“I did year 11 and 12 at Tafe after leaving school because I was being bullied,” he said.
“After I finished that, I had a look at other pathways and this made sense because I’m passionate about helping people.
“The experience really prepared me for the workforce and through the placement I got to experience a variety of different roles within the organisation.
“There’s a bit of a stigma about Tafe. It’s sort of not regarded as highly as university, but for me it’s been perfect. It’s just about making the most out of every opportunity.”
