For Hamish Liney, it wasn’t until he joined a Beach Mission that he was confronted by the number of people who had never heard of Jesus. He’s been on a journey ever since, and this year he’ll start the next chapter: a ministry apprenticeship with his church, which includes training through VBC.

As the year draws to a close, we thought we’d ask a bunch of trainees to share their thoughts on their training with VBC in 2024. We hope you are as encouraged as we have been to read these testimonials.

Suellen Milham is on staff at Orange Evangelical Church. As part of her role, Suellen has the joy of mentoring women undertaking an apprenticeship. Her current apprentice, Tabatha, is training part-time with VBC.

Greg Brooks teaches Scripture in three high schools, and he’s also studying part-time at VBC. He really enjoys both the teaching and the training!

David Shekede is not one to shy away from a challenge. Vocational Bible College has tasked him with recruiting 10 students so that he can begin working as a Migrant Trainer in 2025. Instead of 10, however, David has set his own challenge: he wants to find 20 students.

For Mike Lance, VBC’s flexible, online training is the ideal way to get further equipped while he’s in full-time ministry at Wagga Wagga Evangelical Church.

Meet Hau Mang and Steve: Hau Mang was born into a Christian family in Myanmar. Steve grew up in a Christian family in Sydney’s northern suburbs. Hau Mang and Steve have an intentional relationship. Hau Mang is being trained by VBC—and Steve is his mentor.

Thanks to VBC’s practical online training, pastors and laypeople in Kenya are gaining confidence and skills for ministry and evangelism. In 2024, five trainees have enrolled all the way from East Africa—and they are benefiting greatly.

"I was definitely not an academic person, especially in high school. It was just not my forte.” Meet Tomas Cera, who is training through VBC while working part-time for his church.

Julie Tran was born into a Buddhist home in Sydney, but it was actually through her mother that she came to know Christ. Julie can’t stop raving about her training experience through VBC.

Vocational Bible College is blessed to have a Community Liaison Officer working with us to grow partnerships with local churches. So who is this person who hopes to increase awareness of VBC? Meet Bruce.

Vocational Bible College is blessed to have a number of dedicated trainers working with us to deliver our practical Bible training. So what sorts of people come to work at VBC?  Meet Pete.

Tara Fryar undertook VBC training through her local church before becoming a Ministry Apprentice. Read on for an insight into two sides of the same coin: the Mentor and the Apprentice.

As the year draws to a close, we thought we’d ask a bunch of trainees to share their thoughts on their training with VBC this year. We hope you are as encouraged as we have been to read these testimonials.

Pastors Dale Skewes and David Strong have been running VBC training at their church in Wagga for the past five years. They identified a need to equip people, like farmers and tradesmen, for preaching and leading within the church without needing to leave town.

John Delezio never expected to end up in full-time ministry, let alone church planting. “I went along and did one subject and I was hooked straight away, because Andrew (Beddoe) was teaching in a way that was similar to the way I had learnt my trades,” John explains. “I had learnt like that at TAFE. It was side-by-side learning; it was round table learning.” 

Kim Wright juggles being a wife, a mum to two teenage boys and a part-time job as an Occupational Therapist. She’s also a student at Vocational Bible College.

Despite growing up as a Missionary Kid, David Sinden never expected to study theology or end up in ministry himself. He’s now a VBC graduate working for Global Recordings Network.

“One of the great joys has been to see and hear of students who have said, ‘Do you know what? I didn't think I could study anything at all. But I've studied and loved it here.’”