Scholarship and Bursary Destinations
Testimonials from Past Recipients
Mostyn Higgs
2013 QOF Scholarship Recipient
"Although I strongly believe Australia is an industry leader in construction, there is so much that we can learn from international markets. Dubai is well known for iconic projects, and I’m excited to learn different methods and ways of building to bring back to the team here in Queensland."
Mostyn completed a Certificate III in Carpentry at TAFE Queensland SkillsTech and a Certificate IV in Civil Construction at RudTek. He used his scholarship to travel to Dubai where he has been working on major infrastructure projects including his current position as Construction Manager for Brookfield-Multiplex working on the iconic building ‘The Opus’. Mostyn has found that despite facing a number of challenges while on his scholarship, he has gained an enormous amount of experience, not only in construction but also in management.
Richard Ousby
2007 QOF Scholarship Recipient
“To young people thinking about taking an international work and study experience I say - do it - take a risk. The experience is invaluable for not just your professional life but your personal life too. It can be scary but it is an endeavour worth taking.”
Richard has had a remarkable career including his significant appointment as Executive Chef for Stockhouse Restaurants in Brisbane and Melbourne. After being awarded a QOF Scholarship, he travelled to the United Kingdom where he worked at the famous three Michelin star establishment, Waterside Inn on the River Thames in Bray. On his return to Queensland in 2011, he was awarded the prestigious Electrolux Australian Young Chef of the Year Award, a year later, the Aqua Panna and S. Pellegrino Young Chef of the Year Award in Venice, Italy.
Amiee Kahl
2010 QOF Scholarship Recipient
“I honestly believe that winning the QOF scholarship got me where I am today - it gave me the confidence to take that leap overseas. This was something I always wanted to do but probably would not have done without the support and encouragement of the QOF and my mentors.”
After winning a QOF Scholarship, Amiee moved to London and secured employment with London street-wear label ‘Lazy Oaf’ as their Production Co-ordinator and later Product Development Manager. During her time with Lazy Oaf, she travelled to Hong Kong and China regularly and visited Portugal, Las Vegas and South Korea for trade shows and market research. In July 2015 she was offered the role of Design and Production Manager with Brisbane based womenswear label Maiocchi and in September 2015 she returned to Brisbane to continue her exciting career in fashion.
Past QOF Global Connections Bursary Recipients
The QOF Global Connections Bursary was first awarded in 2014 and since that time our Bursaries have supported vocational education and training professionals from a broad spectrum of training sectors to attend conferences, study tours and work-shadowing experiences all over the world.
| Year of Award | Name | Employer and Position | Destination | Activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Ms Jenny Field | Evocca College, Advisor to the Board | Helsinki, Finland and St Petersburg, Russia | Attendance and participation at the International Vocational Education Training Association Conference |
| 2015 | Ms Julie Scott | Simple Solutions Training and Consulting, Industry Trainer and Assessor | Tauranga, New Zealand | Attendance at the National Tertiary Learning & Teaching Conference 2015 |
| 2015 | Ms Cassandra Baker | TAFE Queensland Brisbane (Southbank), Workplace Training Officer – Bakery | Villepinte, France | Attendance at the Europain – International Baking Trade show |
| 2015 | Mr Lewis Moore | TAFE Queensland, Gold Coast; Teacher / Program Developer | Singapore and Malaysia | Fact finding visit to Singapore Polytechnic Institute |
| 2015 | Mr Paul Marshall | TAFE Queensland SkillsTech, Teacher – Electrotechnology (Refrigeration & Air Conditioning) | Vietnam – Ha Noi, Than Hoa, Da Nang, HCM | Study tour of Vietnam as a volunteer English tutor |
| 2016 | Mr Jedd Sparks | Howell Davies Welding | Atlanta, USA | Attendance at the FABTECH Exhibition |
| 2016 | Mr Carl Balke | TAFE Queensland SkillsTech, Lead Vocational Teacher Refrigeration and Air Conditioning | Nuremburg, Germany | International exhibition for the Refrigeration, Air Conditioning & Ventilation and Heat Pumps sectors |
| 2017 | Judy Hoskins | Peak Training & Consulting | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Attendance and presentation at the 3rd International Conference on Public Health |
| 2017 | Cassandra McIntyre | Cairns School of Distance Education | China, Hong Kong | Tourism Confucius Institute Study Tour |
Past QOF Scholarship Recipients
Since 1976 Queensland Overseas Foundation has assisted more than 110 young Queenslanders to travel overseas and advance their career through work experience and other professional development activities.
Scholarships have been awarded to fashion designers, butchers, sheet metal workers, auto mechanics, electricians, chefs and more!
These opportunities have benefited the individuals in their own career aspirations as well as their local community and Queensland as a whole through deeper global connections and the new knowledge and skills returned to the State.
| Year | Name | Trade | Origin | Destination |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Ben Nedwich | Business Administration | Bundaberg | |
| 2017 | Justin Wade | Butcher | Allora | United Kingdom |
| 2017 | Adrian Clark | Bricklayer | Rocksberg | United Kingdom |
| 2016 | Annaleese Cochrane | Fashion Design | Alexandra Hills | Canada |
| 2016 | Charl Pierre du Plessis | Diesel Fitting | Mount Nathan | |
| 2015 | Russell Routledge | Sheet Metal | Redlands | Canada |
| 2015 | Timo Pretorius | Electrician | Gladstone | |
| 2015 | Adelaide Pollock | Fashion Design | Brisbane | Hong Kong |
| 2015 | Byron Allsopp | Meat Retailing | Meringandan | United Kingdom |
| 2013 | Richard Pascoe | Cookery | Highfields | Manchester, England |
| 2013 | Rhiannon Pittard | Bakery | Mount Sheridan | London |
| 2013 | Mostyn Higgs | Construction | Albany Creek | Dubai |
| 2012 | Rhys Walsh-Tindall | IT & Network Support | Chinchilla | Singapore |
| 2012 | Jessica Parker | Business Services | Bundaberg | London |
| 2011 | Simon Ryan | Electro Technology Systems Electrician | Toowoomba | England |
| 2011 | Sheridan Vigers | Make Up Artist | Nudgee | England |
| 2011 | Caitlyn Paustain | Fashion Design | Seven Hills | England |
| 2011 | Ashley Naumann | Jeweller | Caloundra | Italy/UK |
| 2011 | Phoebe Younger | Fashion Design | Toowoomba | England |
| 2010 | Amiee Kahl | Fashion Design | Redcliffe | England |
| 2010 | Megan Todd | Fashion Design | Helensvale | England |
| 2010 | Nicholas Petridis | Landscape Architecture | Morningside | Scotland |
| 2010 | Geordan Bauer | Meat Retailing | Bundaberg | Germany |
| 2009 | Daniel McGaw | Electro Technology Systems Electrician | Toowoomba | Ireland |
| 2009 | Leo Primus | Project Management | Gold Coast | Malaysia |
| 2009 | Abigail Fincham | Fashion Design | Graceville | England |
| 2008 | Aysha Oliver | Fashion Design | Morningside | England |
| 2008 | Tammy Cole | Pastry Chef | Regents Park | Scotland |
| 2008 | Cassandra Blyth | Commis Chef | Townsville | England |
| 2007 | Jessica Dowdle | Hospitality Management | Noosa Heads | England |
| 2007 | Stephanie Christiansen | Hospitality Management | Bardon | Canada |
| 2007 | Joshua Stemm | Light Vehicle Automotive Mechanic | Aspley | Dubai |
| 2006 | Ranu Obaha | Hospitality Operations | Yeerongpilly | England |
| 2005 | Richard Ousby | Commercial Cookery | Wilston | England |
| 2004 | Cheryl Callender | Commercial Cookery | Cairns | France |
| 2003 | Shaune Achurch | Greenkeeper | Bunderberg | USA |
| 2003 | Jacinta Olde-Byvank | Interior Design and Decoration | Marsden | England |
| 2003 | Ryan Malsem | Refrigeration and Air Conditioning | Cairns | Europe |
| 2002 | Elizabeth Weatherhead | Hairdresser | Rochedale | England |
| 2002 | Luke Hinton | Carpenter | Yeppoon | Indonesia/Peru |
| 2001 | Daniel Chritchlow | Chef | Gold Coast | England |
| 2001 | Carla Uebergang | Interior Design and Decoration | Loganlea | England |
| 2001 | Paul Nesbit | Panel Beater | Cairns | Canada |
| 2000 | David Whitrod | Refrigeration and Air Conditioning | New Farm | England |
| 1999 | Rory Little | Fitter and Turner | Rochedale | Canada |
| 1999 | Michael Davis | Fitter and Turner | Tully | South Africa |
| 1998 | Narissa Ruddick | Hairdresser | Townsville | England |
| 1998 | Les Airs | Elecrical Fitter/Mechanic | Kingaroy | Europe |
| 1997 | Jay Morrison | Plumber and Gas Fitter | Moura | Canada |
| 1997 | Cassandra Baker | Pastry Cook | Stafford Heights | England |
| 1997 | Paul Carruthers | Instrument Fitter | Childers | Canada |
| 1996 | Brian Coleman | Sheet Metal Worker | Greenslopes | Canada |
| 1995 | Benjamin Tracy | Jeweller | Mudgeeraba | England |
| 1995 | Sarah Cooper | Cook | Oxenford | Switzerland |
| Year | Name | Trade | Origin | Destination |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Peter Burton | Electrical Fitter/Mechanic | Mount Isa | England |
| 1994 | Nathan Van De Belt | Cook | Mount Coolum | South Korea |
| 1993 | Rebecca Chadwick | Haidresser | Gold Coast | England |
| 1993 | Scott Wightman | Heavy Vehicle Mechanic | Jimboomba | USA |
| 1993 | Angelo Leonforte | Cook | Hamilton Island | Italy |
| 1993 | Juania McDermott | Cook | Brisbane | England |
| 1992 | Allison Andrea | Graphics Reproducer | Kingaroy | USA |
| 1992 | Sandra Smith | Hairdresser | Taroom | England |
| 1992 | Sean Hill | Heavy Vehicle Mechanic | Brisbane | USA |
| 1992 | Brendt Halliday | Moulder | Brisbane | Scotland |
| 1991 | Andrew McDicken | Refrigeration Mechanic | Jimboomba | USA |
| 1991 | Aaron Maree | Pastry Cook | Coorparoo | England |
| 1991 | Allison Achilles | Cook | Camp Hill | England |
| 1991 | Stanton Thomsen | Fitter and Turner | Brisbane | USA |
| 1990 | Samantha Milosevic | Fashion Designer | Brisbane | England |
| 1990 | Lachlan Riddel | Motor Mechanic | Lower Beechmont | England |
| 1989 | Dianne Clark | Graphic Artist | Brisbane | England |
| 1989 | Grant Behrendorff | Electrical Fitter/Mechanic | Cairns | Canada |
| 1988 | Cameron Haylock | Sheet Metal Worker | Brisbane | England |
| 1988 | Dwayne McClintock | Fitter and Turner | Rocklea | Canada |
| 1988 | Sandra Graham | Hairdresser | Cairns | Canada/USA |
| 1988 | Stephen Clark | Electrical Fitter/Mechanic | Clermont | England |
| 1987 | Kim Langford | Optical Mechanic | Toowoomba | Canada |
| 1987 | Gerard Carter | Electrical Fitter/Mechanic | Mackay | Canada |
| 1987 | Brett Otto | Fitter and Turner | Bunderberg | Germany/UK |
| 1987 | Bruce Parkes | Electrical Fitter/Mechanic | Townsville | USA |
| 1986 | Kevin Rayfield | Electrical Fitter/Mechanic | Blackwater | USA |
| 1986 | Paul Vonhoff | Carpenter and Joiner | ||
| 1986 | Scott Lobston | Electrical Fitter/Mechanic | ||
| 1985 | Glenn Frettingham | Motor Mechanic | Brisbane | |
| 1985 | Stephen Bower | Electrical Fitter/Mechanic | Gladstone | |
| 1984 | Geoffrey Hupfield | Signwriter | Gold Coast | USA |
| 1983 | Toimi Puusarri | Electrical Fitter/Mechanic | Mount Isa | Canada/USA |
| 1983 | Gordon Van Der Est | Motor Mechanic | Beenleigh | |
| 1981 | Ray Carnie | Watchmaker | Brisbane | |
| 1981 | Bruce Irwin | Graphics Reproducer | Brisbane | |
| 1981 | Paul Walsh | Electrical Fitter/Mechanic | Moranbah | |
| 1980 | Carey Henry | Electrical Fitter/Mechanic | Mount Isa | Canada |
| 1980 | Lindsey Weber | Bread Baker | Toowoomba | |
| 1980 | Gordon Osborne | Radio and TV Technician | ||
| 1980 | William Kraft | Carpenter | Hervey Bay | England |
| 1980 | Albert Turner | Electrical Fitter/Mechanic | Gladstone | |
| 1979 | Mark Tierney | Electrical Fitter/Mechanic | Brisbane | |
| 1979 | Stewart Shannon | Radio and TV Mechanic | Toowoomba | |
| 1979 | Christopher Hocking | Lithographic Camera Operator | Brisbane | |
| 1979 | Anthony Dutton | Composing Motor Mechanic | Cairns | |
| 1979 | Peter Fahey | Cook | Kangaroo Point | Switzerland |
| 1978 | Myles Breitkrewtz | Motor Mechanic | Moura | USA |
| 1978 | Ian Ward | Sheet Metal Worker | Brisbane | England |
| 1978 | Mark Neale | Motor Mechanic | Karalee | USA |
| 1977 | John Aquilina | Electrician | Brisbane | |
| 1977 | Eric Organ-Moore | Refrigeration Mechanic | Brisbane | England |
| 1976 | Ross Patrick | Electrician | Brisbane | USA |
| 1976 | Walter Billingham | Fitter and Turner | Cairns | England |