Profile
Elevating industry careers for every student
“I certainly didn’t map out a path to executive leadership,” says Amanda Schiavo, director of education at The Industry School. Her appointment to an executive leadership role, which she did not expect at this stage of her career, is an achievement she is proud of.
Schiavo hopes to help demonstrate that education can be both rigorous and responsive, offering industry pathways as an aspirational choice for young people.
An unplanned path to leadership
Schiavo always knew she wanted to be a teacher. Leadership followed from saying yes to opportunities that matched her values, “For me, success is not defined by position or title, but by the positive impact our work has on young people and their futures.” Schiavo states that completing a Masters of Educational Leadership helped her put leadership theory into practice and consolidated her belief in the power of service leadership.
Her approach, Schiavo adds, has always been people first. “I believe trust is built through consistency, transparency and genuine care for others.”
Redefining what success looks like
The vision at The Industry School, a Queensland secondary school focused on Industry careers , is to elevate and enhance the value of industry careers and provide an education that meets the needs of all industries, with students able to pursue school-based apprenticeships or traineeships as part of their schooling.
Over the past year, Schiavo has focused on challenging traditional perceptions of success so industry pathways are recognised as aspirational career options. “This work is ultimately about ensuring that no student feels that education was designed for someone else,” she says. She believes career-connected learning can improve engagement, retention and post-school outcomes while maintaining high expectations. Across her part of the sector, she has seen growing demand for models of education that personalise learning, amplify student voice and strengthen partnerships between education and industry. The conversation, Schiavo says, has shifted from preparing students for assessment to preparing them for work and life. “In today’s world, the development of character is more important than ever, and that is what we aim to develop through our program – great young people.”
Level 24, 324 Queen Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000
0428 191 328
amanda.schiavo@theindustryschool.com.au
linkedin.com/in/amanda-schiavo-870405256
theindustryschool.com.au
Amanda Schiavo
Director of Education
The Industry School
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Milestones
2015–2023
2020- 2021
2021-2023
2024–Present
2025–Present
St Benedict’s College
2015–2023
Head of Middle School Humanities Ambrose Treacy College
2020- 2021
EREA Head of Schools and Quality is The Australian Industry Trade College (now The Industry School)
2021-2023
Director of Education at The Industry School
2024–Present
Board Chair at Birali Steiner School
2025–Present
Milestones
“Seeing those initiatives translate into improved experiences and outcomes for young people has reinforced my belief that meaningful change occurs when wellbeing, engagement and learning are viewed as interconnected rather than separate priorities”
Amanda Schiavo, The Industry School
“This work is ultimately about ensuring that no student feels that education was designed for someone else”
Amanda Schiavo, The Industry School
Schiavo led the development of the school’s Wellbeing for Learning Framework and contributed to the redesign of how education through a wellbeing lens is delivered across its schools. “Seeing those initiatives translate into improved experiences and outcomes for young people has reinforced my belief that meaningful change occurs when wellbeing, engagement and learning are viewed as interconnected rather than separate priorities,” she says. She says the constant pace of change in education can leave staff fatigued and uncertain, so she makes sure people understand the purpose behind it. She is also strengthening learner voice practices and helping to build an education that is founded on authentic industry partnerships. Her influence, Schiavo says, is less about individual recognition and more about building the systems, frameworks and cultures that help educators make a lasting difference. The young people the school serves remain her greatest motivation behind a year of work that earned her a place on The Educator’s Hot List 2026, inspired by their resilience and capacity to succeed when given the right support. Credit for the results, she says, belongs to the teams around her. “Education is a collective endeavour, and any success I have achieved reflects the dedication and commitment of remarkable teams across our schools and within our system,” Schiavo adds.