Staff Spotlight: Sue Valdeck, Programs Manager
Q: Tell us a little bit about your role at Navitas?
A: As Programs Manager with Navitas Skilled Futures I’m part of a team responsible for overseeing the running of our contracted government programs, these include the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP), Skills for Education and Employment program (SEE), Careers Transition Assistance program (CTA) and the Foundation Skills For Your Future program (FSFYF).
Q: What are your favourite things about Navitas?
A: During my career at Navitas I’ve worked with the Australian TESOL Training Centre (ATTC) for five years, I’ve been seconded to the central Learning & Teaching team for a year, and I’ve held several different roles within Navitas Skilled Futures. I like the fact that we are a global company and that there are plenty of opportunities to work across different business units and on different projects.
Q: If you weren’t in your current career, what would you be?
A: I’d still be working in Education, but as a full-time adult literacy teacher. Working in Education allows you to make a difference to people’s lives. You get immediate feedback from students as they put into practice what they’re learning, and they’re extremely grateful to be learning English to set them on their individual roads to success. It really is rewarding, working with people to help them achieve their goals, and I love the creativity of planning lessons and helping students overcome their literacy hurdles through innovative approaches and activities.
Q: What is your greatest achievement?
A: I don’t have one specific achievement. I’ve raised children, taught migrants, learnt new languages, lived and worked in another country and travelled extensively. In 1990 I lived in Berlin for a year and learnt German, later returning to the city to live and work from 1992-1995. While in Berlin I took some Japanese language classes and also spent some time learning French and Italian, but German was the only language that I stuck with. During that period I spent a year travelling through Europe and more recently I’ve travelled to Iceland, Denmark and Belgium, as well as the US with my family. I think these are all great achievements and I look forward to more and different opportunities in the future.
Q: What are you passionate about?
A: I’m passionate about making sure people receive the opportunities they need to improve their language, literacy, numeracy and digital skills, so they can follow their own paths to success and are not held back through lack of basic skills that many of us take for granted.
Q: What is the best advice you’ve ever heard?
A: “Small changes made incrementally are powerful and can lead to remarkable results.”