On track … David Tien has overcome the odds. 66507 Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI
By Charlene Gatt
AT 16 years old, David Tien had no family, no money and nowhere to live.
Today, the 23-year-old Braybrook resident is a finalist for Vocational Student of the Year in the Victorian Training Awards.
“I’m excited,” the Victoria University student said.
Mr Tien has worked his way up after growing up in a family of drug dealers and users, with some of his earliest childhood memories revolving around illegal activity.
“They (my parents) were dealing and using while I was in primary school,” he said.
“I remember going to class one day and we had a journal we had to write in and I didn’t know what they were doing, so my journal entry was that I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth and saw needles in the bin and all this other stuff. From there, it just got worse.”
Fed up, Mr Tien left home and lived in emergency housing while he completed his VCE, relying on a casual job at KFC and Centrelink for income.
He has since completed a Diploma in Information Technology at Victoria University and is now studying for an Advanced Diploma of Network Security and an Advanced Diploma of Computer Systems Engineering.
Mr Tien also does IT support for Victoria University and is a peer mentor for students with computer problems.
“I just didn’t want to end up the same way as the rest of my family,” he said.
“I figured education was the best way to go. I’ve always been good at school and once the opportunity came up that allowed me to go back to study, I jumped at it.
“A lot of people don’t get the opportunities that I have. My brother was in the same position as me but ended up doing the same thing as my dad.”
Mr Tien is up against fellow VU student Catherine Batty. The winner will be announced in September.
