Erin has the recipe for success
Loganlea State High School teacher Erin Pender’s commitment to education and hospitality has been the recipe for her success as Queensland’s 2026 VET Teacher of the Year.
Erin’s commitment to innovation in vocational education while providing authentic, practical and industry-based learning for her cookery students has seen her named a winner at the 2026 Queensland Training Awards.
Erin’s experience in the hospitality industry and her commitment to education are the key ingredients for her to thrive in her role at Loganlea State High School teaching a Certificate II in Cookery.
She is an inspiration to her students, having progressed from apprentice chef all the way up to Head Chef while working in a range of settings including restaurants, cafés and five-star establishments such as Sofitel Brisbane Central.
That industry experience is combined with her extensive education qualifications including a Bachelor of Education (Secondary), Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, Certificate III in Hospitality (Commercial Cookery) and Certificate III in Hospitality (Food and Beverage).
Since 2014, Erin has been delivering a dynamic program that prepares her students for a successful career in the hospitality industry.
Central to Erin’s work is the STAR Hospitality Excellence Program, which she established in 2019 to provide students with meaningful opportunities to develop their skills, confidence and understanding of the hospitality and tourism industries.
Through the program, Erin has built strong and valued partnerships with industry professionals and organisations, including Mantle Hospitality, Chef Kara from Wild Cooks Table and, more recently, Broncos Leagues Club. These partnerships have enabled students to participate in hands-on experiences, mentoring, industry workshops and authentic workplace environments, helping them gain a clearer understanding of the diverse pathways available within the industry.
Erin is passionate about creating opportunities that allow students to learn beyond the classroom and connect their training with real-world experiences. Most recently, she accompanied STAR Hospitality students on their biannual trip to Tangalooma Resort, where students were able to experience a range of hospitality and tourism operations and explore the many career opportunities available within a resort environment.
Students involved in the program have benefited from a range of valuable industry experiences, including participation in Queensland Tourism Industry Council initiatives, behind-the-scenes visits to leading hotels and opportunities to engage directly with suppliers at Rocklea Markets.
Erin has also worked closely with the school’s Agriculture department to help students develop a practical understanding of the paddock-to-plate journey, using produce grown and raised within the school community. She has supported the planting and cultivation of Indigenous food plants within the school garden, creating opportunities for students to learn about native ingredients and thoughtfully incorporate them into menu design and practical cooking experiences.
These experiences have helped students connect their classroom learning with the broader hospitality, tourism and food industries, while developing an appreciation for local produce, sustainability, Indigenous ingredients and the diverse career pathways available within the industry.
Other highlights through the STAR Hospitality Program have included a “Farm to Fork” masterclass with Matt Golinski and Indigenous culinary learning through “My Dilly Bag” with Chef Dale Chapman.
Erin said she was blown away and completely shocked to win the 2026 VET Teacher of the Year Award.
“The Star Hospitality program focuses on building students' confidence to move into industry and giving them work-ready skills to go into the workforce for when they leave high school or apply for part-time casual work while they're still at school,” Erin said.
“For our students, it gives them confidence and it gives them a sense of self-worth that they can accomplish something, which is really important for employment skills, both soft skills and hard skills are necessary for moving into any industry.
“It's a passion of mine, giving students confidence and being able to see them succeed in life, because some of our students don't have those opportunities and it's important for them to see that they are worthy.
“My school is phenomenal and they have complete and utter faith in my crazy ideas and I think that's great.
“The biggest lesson I've learned is to be patient and to have courage to try new things and that in itself turns into a form of resilience and that makes us stronger,” she said.
Erin will now progress to the Australian Training Awards to be held in Sydney on 20 November 2026.
Learn more about Queensland Training Awards.