UQ Skills Certificate II in Animal Care graduate Lizzie Scott is headed to the state finals after winning a Queensland Training Award in the Darling Downs South West Region.
Lizzie, who took out the Equity Student of the Year award, attended the ceremony with her mother Angela.
“The award meant so much to me as I’d never had an opportunity to be recognised for the time and effort put into my education,” Lizzie said.
“It’s much more difficult given my various conditions – so it feels like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to achieve something like this.”
Diagnosed with global development delay at a young age, followed by intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, anxiety, and frequent hospital admissions due to episodes of functional neurological disorder (FND), Lizzie faced significant challenges in her educational journey.
In Lizzie’s case, FND manifests in the form of blacking out, violent jerking of her body and limbs, problems with speech and sight, and occasionally difficulty walking.
Despite these challenges, Lizzie's determination and passion for animal care never wavered, resulting in a win that her mother Angela couldn’t be prouder of.
“I am so proud of Lizzie’s perseverance and so thankful of all the support that UQ Skills has offered her,” Angela said.
“It is very rare to see people with disability celebrated, so this award made me very emotional.
“We celebrated with a bit of a dance to the band and a McDonalds breakfast the next morning before heading home to the congratulations of the rest of the family.”
The completion of the Certificate II in Animal Care at UQ Skills has provided Lizzie with options she and her mother might not have thought possible.
She now aspires to undertake further study and work in a veterinary clinic, ideally with large animals.
