About Us

Ian Nicolson

Chief Executive Officer

Ian has a broad range of experiences across industry, education and training, government and not-for-profit organisations. His industry experience ranges from furniture and cabinet making, timber and hardware to tourism and transport. During his time as Operations Manager with the Timber Merchants Association, Ian worked closely with the wholesale timber and retail hardware sectors, regularly representing the industry as a proxy director on the WRAPS Industry Training Board.

Originally a teacher of commerce and information technology in the technical system, Ian then moved into industrial relations as Gippsland Organiser with the Australian Education Union. During this time he represented the union movement as President of the Gippsland Trades and Labour Council and as a director of Gippsland Development. His involvements eventually lead to an appointment as the inaugural Gippsland Manager for the Commonwealth Department of Housing and Regional Development.

Ian's initial experience with Industry Training Boards came with the Executive Officer position with the Victorian Light Manufacturing and Forests Industry Training Board, which was eventually restructured as Furnishing Training Victoria. Ian's background in economic development has enabled him to undertake recent assignments in the tourism and transport industries, working on industry development issues including training, addressing skills shortages and promoting careers.

Melissa Ong

Project Officer

Melissa studied at Monash University, Caulfield and studied a double Business degree specializing in Retail Management and Marketing. Most recently she worked briefly with the Australian Tourism Accreditation Program as the Assistant Accreditation Officer before taking up the Projects Officer role in July 2009. Melissa has extensive knowledge and experience in retail and events, previously working with the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant in reservations, Southgate Arts & Leisure Precinct in marketing and office administration, and Nike Australia working in retail sales and logistics.

Linda Baron

Victorian Food Industry Training Board - Program Manager

Linda has been working in education, and specifically career education and development for over 20 years. Most recently she worked for secondary school career and VET coordinators, as the Executive Officer of their professional association, the Career Education Association of Victoria. In that role she ran 17 CEAV conferences around Victoria, in 10 years. The biennial conferences featured extensive industry input via panels, site tours and workshops. The conferences also involved strong content from regional TAFE Institutes and universities. She edited the quarterly journal, the website, and managed a series of specialist projects. Working on behalf of DEST (now DEEWR) she oversaw the Australian customisation of the Canadian careers resource, The Real Game series, and promoted World Skills participation to the VET in schools community for the state government.

Prior to the CEAV, Linda worked as the Schools Liaison Officer for Swinburne University of Technology, promoting courses and employment opportunities for both the TAFE and higher education sectors. This gave her insight into training pathways, employment environments across the state and strong links to the school to work sector. She began her career in specialist film and press libraries, moving into secondary media and English teaching before discovering the career education world. She looks forward to bringing her knowledge of the education and training sectors, career information, publications and event management experience to the VFITB role.

Erin Doyle

Australian Tourism Accreditation Program - Accreditation Officer

Previously a project coordinator for the peak marketing organisation for the Yarra Valley and The Dandenong's, Erin has a wide range of experience and knowledge within the tourism and hospitality industries. Her previous role included domestic and international consumer marketing, trade marketing, stakeholder management, event coordination as well as a broad range of industry support and development – often providing advice, mentoring and assistance to business operations. She has had particular insight into the South East Asian market following a consumer research project she conducted as a result of becoming a recipient of the Tourism Alliance Lynette Bergin fellowship, and has extensive experience working with a broad range of networks – both large and small businesses, local, state and federal government, industry associations, chambers of commerce and more.

Erin has been involved in the tourism and hospitality industries for over seven years, gaining experience with a range of service providers including small cafes, conference and wedding coordination, retail outlets and visitor services. She has also completed a Bachelor of Business with a major in Tourism Enterprise Management and a Diploma in Hospitality and Tourism Management as well certificates for Food Safety Supervisor, Responsible Service of Alcohol, Level 2 First Aid and a short course in Photoshop.

Annika Hoffmann

Australian Accreditation Tourism Program - Assistant Accreditation Officer

Annika has recently joined ATAP as Assistant Accreditation Officer following work experience at ATAP completed in 2009 through her Tourism studies at William Angliss. She has completed an Advanced Diploma in Business Management and also in Tourism at William Angliss. Annika has worked in Hospitality for many years, and is now enjoying this opportunity to work in the Tourism industry. Annika also works at Hargreaves Hill Brewing Company in Yarra Glen.

Judy Slevison

Finance Officer

Judy is the Finance Officer and works on a part-time basis managing the accounts for SSV, Tourism Accreditation Board of Victoria and the Victorian Food Industry Training Board.

Julian Wearne

IT Administrator

Julian moved to Melbourne from Bendigo in early 2005 after completing his schooling in Bendigo. Before starting at SSV Julian had worked in a wide range of roles varying from administration to bar work. Julian has always been interested in IT and built his first computer with his hard earned savings at the age of just 15. He also studied CISCO Networking during VCE. Julian recently completed a Certificate IV in Information Technology as part of his ongoing training through SSV.

Hayley Page

Office Administrator

Hayley graduated from William Angliss Institute with an Advanced Diploma of Event Management and Tourism. After completing her work placement at Service Skills Victoria in 2008, she was offered the Office Administrator position, which is a traineeship with a Certificate IV in Business Administration outcome. In her first month of her role, Hayley successfully helped manage the Working with Workforce Development Industry Forum held in April 2009 and other SSV functions. Hayley also works part time at Festival Hall as an usher.