Congratulations and thank you to all of our 25 Years of Service Award recipients!
Recently, the department hosted recognition of service events across the state at Devonport High School, Newstead College, and Claremont College.
The Awards recognise the work and effort of staff across the department that have completed 25 years in the State Service. In attendance were our Award recipients, their managers, and some department executives. We had over 160 recipients this year and they all have amazing stories of how they have contributed to our department, the State Service, and the children and young people of Tasmania.
To celebrate this achievement, we are delighted to share some of their inspiring stories.
Sallie Scott
Sallie began her State Service career when she and her husband moved back to Tasmania after living overseas and interstate. She started at the State Library of Tasmania and briefly worked at Launceston Library. After taking time off to raise her two children, she returned to work at the Lilydale Library in the late 1990s.
Over the years, Sallie worked at various Northern libraries before securing a permanent position at Exeter. With Exeter as her base, she continues to enjoy working throughout the greater Northern region.
A highlight of Sallie’s career was her role in expanding library services. She recalls when e-resources like Libby or BorrowBox did not exist, and online connectivity was limited. Sallie loves interacting with the Exeter regular library users and visiting local primary schools. She believes small-town libraries provide a safe space to access the internet, get digital help, and engage with the community.
Her advice to new employees is, ‘If you’re interested in library work, give it a go. It’s not just about reading books all day. Between helping clients, selecting titles for the Home Library Service, and shelving returns, it’s busy. A love of books, good customer skills, and knowledge of library protocols like the Dewey Decimal System are great starting points.’
Taki Douramanis
Taki started his State Service career as an enrolment officer in Adult Education in 1995. He later pursued a Bachelor of Teaching at UTAS and after graduating, he joined the Office for Educational Review in 1999. Taki then began relief teaching, which led to securing contracts at Dodges Ferry Primary School and Bellerive Primary School.
Taki took on a full-time position at Gagebrook Primary School in 2003 and later transferred to New Town Primary School in 2007. During this time, he completed a certificate course in Teaching ESL Students in the Mainstream Classroom. His dedication led to a position with the EAL Program, working at various schools in the South. Taki now spends his days as a senior project officer in the English as an Additional Language (EAL) Service, a position he has held since 2013.
Taki’s career highlight was his time as an Early Childhood Teacher. He says, ‘As an Early Childhood teacher, you are in awe of the resilience and hope shown by our young students. Seeing them gain knowledge and grow is incredibly rewarding. They renew your optimism for the world every day.’
His advice to new employees is, ‘The State Service offers a wonderful opportunity to develop your skills and help people from all walks of life. You’ll work with many talented individuals, so seek help and guidance to ensure your contributions are informed and based on integrity and the values of service to the community.’
Gill Brazendale
Gill’s journey began as a Parent Helper at her children’s school, East Devonport Primary School. Invigorated by this experience, she became an Aboriginal Education Worker at Ulverstone and Penguin Primary Schools. Encouraged by the principal, she applied for a teacher assistant role, where she had volunteered. She spent nearly 10 years there before transitioning to an Aboriginal VET Officer role. During her time there, she witnessed several name changes and rebranding, including TAFE Tasmania, The Tasmanian Polytechnic, and TasTAFE.
Since 2016, Gill has served as an Aboriginal Education officer. She enjoys helping schools engage with Aboriginal community members, organisations and cultural resources to build capacity to provide culturally responsive and inclusive learning environments.
Gill’s career highlights include assisting schools in implementing the Closing the Gap strategy in Aboriginal Educational Outcomes and supporting initiatives in improving Aboriginal student engagement, attainment, and successful transitions.
Her advice to those starting their career in the State Service is, ‘To treat others how you would like to be treated.’
