Jodi Schmidt — Former CEO TAFE Queensland — On the Changing Landscape of Education & Why it Pays to Be a ‘Yes’ Person
Jodi Schmidt is someone who has made some significant career achievements at a relatively young age. The education sector is currently undergoing immense disruption and change, so it was fascinating to speak with Jodi and hear her views on shifts in the industry both in Australia and globally.
Jodi is the former CEO of TAFE Queensland, a role she has held since 2013. TAFE Queensland is the state’s largest, most experienced training provider delivering practical, industry-relevant training to more than 120,000 students each year across 500 programs. Jodi has extensive experience as a leader within the education, training and employment sectors, having previously worked for a number of organisations including the Department of Education Queensland and Southbank Institute of Technology.
Born and raised in Maryborough in regional Queensland, Jodi relocated to Toowoomba to complete a bachelor of business in marketing and accounting at the University of Southern Queensland. After university, Jodi spent three years in the UK where she worked in finance and marketing before returning home to Maryborough for a period of time. When Jodi eventually relocated to Brisbane, her career took flight when she joined the Brisbane City Council. Her willingness to embrace new experiences and work from the ground up has been key to Jodi’s achievements. As a young woman, she worked in various roles across many industries including as a night sorter for Australia Post, while she was at university, and as a Pizza Hut manager and fruit picker, before she transited into the professional sphere. Her early career taught her the importance of developing practical skills and learning on the job, informing her “roll up your sleeves” approach to career and leadership.
Jodi lives in Brisbane and enjoys a good game of tennis and playing the guitar in her spare time.
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Southbank Institute of Technology
