VET researcher honoured

Professor Erica Smith of the University of Ballarat has been presented with the Berwyn Clayton Award for Distinguished Service at the recent annual conference of the Australian Vocational Education and Training Research Association. The biennial award recognises the distinguished service of members who have worked to improve AVETRA’s status as Australia’s peak association for VET researchers. Smith has been a member of the national executive for 10 years and served as president for two, recently retiring from the executive. She has overseen several major initiatives and mentored many newer executive members. Smith represented AVETRA and the VET research community at several government inquiries and national initiatives.