A Wagga teacher will travel overseas to learn how leading international youth justice programs use vocational education to give young people the skills and confidence to find employment.

Bradley Ryan, Vocational Education and Training (VET) Coordinator at Shepherds Park School, is aiming to use his 2027 NSW Premier’s Teacher Scholarship to travel to Singapore, Denmark and Norway to examine VET programs in youth justice facilities.

Mr Ryan has spent the past six years expanding VET opportunities at Shepherds Park School, where students can now undertake courses including Primary Industries, Construction and Manufacturing Engineering, as well as external courses in shearing, farm vehicle safety, traffic control and bricklaying.

He said the opportunity to learn from international approaches would help him continue improving VET opportunities for the students he knows best.

“When I first started, VET was very limited and we couldn't capture many students,” Mr Ryan said.

“We know our students best so for us to be providing VET subjects, as well as external providers, has massive benefit for the students.”

Around 60 per cent of Shepherds Park students who studied VET courses last year went on to secure employment, highlighting the impact practical learning can have in helping young people see a pathway into the workforce.

“Many of our students think a job is out of reach for them, these courses provide them with the confidence and the skills to achieve employment in the community,” Mr Ryan said.

“It showcases the opportunities available for them.”

Mr Ryan is particularly interested in seeing how overseas youth justice facilities use VET to connect learning with real-world employment opportunities, and how those approaches could be adapted for students in NSW.

Back at Shepherds Park, students are already putting their skills into practice through a tiny home construction project, supported by funding from the Regional Education Infrastructure Fund (REIP).

“We were fortunate enough to receive some funding from the REIP to put towards a tiny home kit,” Mr Ryan said.

“Our construction class has been very engaged in this project; they want to stay back at lunch time and keep working on it.

“It is great to see, and they really benefit from the real-life example of what their skills can build.

“Seeing the progress in real time is amazing. We have just wrapped it this week and hopefully will be at lock up stage shortly.”

Mr Ryan is one of 14 recipients of the 2027 NSW Premier’s Teacher Scholarships.

The scholarship program provides each recipient with $15,000 to undertake a five-week study tour during 2027, allowing teachers to develop their expertise and bring new knowledge and practices back to NSW.