It’s been 40 years since Carmela Tyson first walked through the doors SuniTAFE on 15 March 1982, where initially she took on the temporary role of documenting student records.

Each time a student completed another subject, Carmela would feed back their Statement of Results through a typewriter and line up everything perfectly before adding in their latest results.

Despite her role at the time expected to only last three months, Carmela is now one of the longest serving employees of SuniTAFE.

Carmela is currently the Skills Recognition Co-ordinator but over the past 40 years she has held many other roles including Customer Service Officer, Switchboard Operator, assistant to director secretaries, Typist for the institute staff, Print Room/Bookshop Support Officer, Office Campus Admin Assistant and Off Campus Co-ordinator.

With SuniTAFE only established two years prior to Carmela beginning her employment, she has witnessed first hand many of the major changes that have occurred since its inception.

Carmela witnessed computers taking over from typewriters and photocopiers taking over from a gestetner.

The move from teaching staff predominately being off site to stage one of the building commencements with teachers and staff coming on site.

She recalls a time where the College would have a Campus Superintendent who lived on site and when the residential complex was first built, which then saw a Residences Officer on duty 24 hours a day.

She was also involved in the introduction of what is now known as TAFE Kids.

Some of Carmela’s proudest moments over the years have been at SuniTAFE, where she has helped so many people through her various roles to achieve their own personal and professional goals.

One of her most fond memories over the past 40 years was when she was chosen to attend the Australian Training Awards in Brisbane in 2019. Carmela said she felt “so proud of SuniTAFE and had a warm feeling inside knowing I had been part of that” when SuniTAFE was announced the winner of the Largest Training Provider of the Year.

Having held predominately front-of-house roles throughout her career at SuniTAFE, Carmel said one of the things she has enjoyed most has been the interaction between members of the community, prospective students as they have embarked on their personal and professional paths.

On Tuesday, March 15, Carmela will be recognised and celebrated for her contribution to SuniTAFE over the past 40 years with a special lunch held in her honour.