Rylie Cadd is a young Aboriginal man strengthening outcomes for Aboriginal children and families across Victoria – building on frontline experience with targeted TAFE training.
Rylie, who works in kinship finding and connection programs, turned to TAFE to build his leadership skills and deepen the impact of his work.
Midway through the course, he stepped into an acting team leader role – applying his learning in real time to support both his team and the families they work with.
His experience reflects broader trends, with new data from the Employment Outcomes for Victorian TAFE Learners report showing 9 in 10 students achieve their employment goals – including those using further training to progress into leadership roles.
Supporting connection, identity and care
Having grown up around the community he now serves, Rylie developed a strong understanding of the importance of his work early on.
Working at the Victorian Aboriginal Child and Community Agency (VACCA), he supports Aboriginal children in out-of-home care to reconnect with family, culture and identity, identifying connections and undertaking genealogy research to help them understand where they come from.
“The work I do matters to so many different people in so many different ways,” Rylie said.
“Knowing your connections is so important. It strengthens identity, gives children a mob and a place to know where they're from.”
As demand for kinship and connection services continues to grow, so too does the need for skilled, confident leaders to guide this work.
Building leadership to meet growing demand
Rylie turned to training to strengthen his leadership capability and confidence, inspired by leaders around him – including in his own family.
“The opportunity for leadership was something I wanted; I’ve always wanted (the program) to be the best it can be. The program and our community deserve the best outcomes possible,” he said.
The tailored leadership program Rylie undertook through Kangan Institute has supported him to step into leadership with greater confidence and clarity.
(Rylie Cadd with his teacher Berry McSherry in the classroom.)
“I was able to talk to my teacher about what I can achieve and how to be that team leader that I wanted to be. It allowed me to step into the role without feeling so nervous,” Rylie said.
“The course has exposed me to many types of interactions I may face… and the flexibility to have the right conversation, at the right time and know how to navigate that – that is really important.”
Recognised and continuing to grow
Rylie’s contribution has been recognised through the 2026 Ricci Marks Award, which celebrates the achievements of young First Nations people in Victoria.
“Our work is very high demand… especially in Victoria, identification is a very important conversation right now,” he said.
“I am very proud of the work that I am able to do and the outcomes I'm able to achieve.”
For Rylie, continuing to build his skills as a leader will be key to strengthening outcomes for the children and families he supports.
“I want to evolve and grow… there’s always a need to learn something new, build a new skill and have new conversations,” Rylie said.
“The course has been definitely beneficial to learn more about myself and how to be a better person as well as a better leader.”
Rylie is enrolled in the Certificate IV in Leadership and Management at Kangan Institute’s Broadmeadows Campus.
