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    TAFE NSW Wollongbar | 17 June 2026

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    Graduates celebrate inclusive pathways to skills and qualifications

    ‘The commitment and enthusiasm shown by these students has been outstanding. It has been rewarding to see their skills, confidence and knowledge grow throughout the course. This qualification recognises the hard work they have put in and will help create new opportunities for their future.’
    Hugh Monk, TAFE NSW Wollongbar Horticulture Teacher

    Eleven students from Byron Bay Herb Nursery’s disability support program and three staff have graduated with a Certificate II in Horticulture. This marks a significant milestone in their education and employment journey.

    The students completed their training through TAFE NSW Wollongbar, with the course delivered on site at Byron Bay Herb Nursery by horticulture teachers Hugh Monk and Lisa Barnes. The training was tailored to support learners with a range of disabilities, enabling them to gain a formal qualification.

    TAFE NSW graduates from the Byron Bay Herb Nursery’s disability support program stand in a light-filled outdoor greenhouse. They are smiling at the camera. People in the front row are leaning on a table filled with seedlings in trays.

    A graduation ceremony was held at the nursery on 17 June, bringing together graduates, family members, teachers and staff to celebrate the achievement. TAFE NSW Wollongbar Horticulture teacher Hugh Monk said the graduates had demonstrated remarkable dedication throughout the course.

    “The commitment and enthusiasm shown by these students has been outstanding. It has been rewarding to see their skills, confidence and knowledge grow throughout the course. This qualification recognises the hard work they have put in and will help create new opportunities for their future,” he said.

    Since 1992, Byron Bay Herb Nursery has been committed to creating meaningful employment opportunities for people with disability, combining practical workplace experience with opportunities for skills development and training.

    Byron Bay Herb Nursery’s Open Employment Liaison Officer, Dean McLeod, said the partnership with TAFE NSW had created valuable pathways for participants.

    “We are incredibly proud of our graduates and what they have achieved. Access to this training has allowed our employees to gain a nationally recognised qualification while building confidence and independence. This collaboration shows what is possible when community organisations and education providers work together to create meaningful opportunities for people with disability,” Mr McLeod said.

    This achievement highlights TAFE NSW’s commitment to flexible and inclusive training, and to creating pathways to skills, qualifications and employment.

    Media contact: Karen Farrell, TAFE NSW Communications Specialist, 02 7920 5000.

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