Trainer’s passion to help students succeed recognised

While Veeramani Ramasami used his studies to launch an early career as an accountant and financial manager, it was the encounter with his first accounting teacher that inspired him on a different path into education.  
 

Mr Ramasami learnt the importance of an engaging teacher, and when the opportunity to teach presented itself, he took it.  
 

He has taught in classrooms around the world and is now a lecturer at Charles Darwin University (CDU) TAFE in Business and Workforce Management.  
 

Mr Ramasami said he was always inspired by his first accounting teacher as they brought the profession to life and focused on real-world scenarios, and he wanted to provide that type of learning to future professionals.  
 

“I understand that people often hear accounting or bookkeeping and they think it sounds boring, so I always wanted to teach it in a way that showed it can be very dynamic, just as my mentor showed me," Mr Ramasami said. 
 

The quality of his teaching and his hands on approach were recognised when Mr Ramasami received the 2025 Teaching Excellence Award at the CDU Vice-Chancellor Awards Ceremony.  
 

“Based on my industry experience and having taught across different tertiary institutions, I have seen many students often understand the theories behind their subjects but not always the mechanisms,” he said.  
 

“At CDU TAFE I am able to use real-world examples and ensure that not only our students understand the theory, but they have the skill set to match.”  
 

This year three of Mr Ramasami’s students nominated him for the 2026 Northern Territory Training Award for VET Teacher/Trainer of the Year, where he was named runner up. 
 

His students said that it was clear that Mr Ramasami was a dedicated trainer who wants his students to succeed while creating a positive and engaging learning environment.  
 

“This was a very humbling experience for me, I hope these actions mean I have made an impact or difference in their studies and that was always my goal when I moved into teaching," Mr Ramasami said. 
 

CDU Business and Workforce Management Team Leader Dion Daniell said both these awards recognised the excellent contribution Mr Ramasami was making to vocational education and skills training and the business industry in the NT and beyond. 
 

“This recognition reflects Veeramani’s commitment to high-quality training and student success and is a significant achievement,” Mr Daniell said.  
 

Earlier this year Mr Ramasami was named a Fellow Certified Practicing Accountant (FCPA) and was also appointed as the Northern Territory Council Member for Certified Practising Accountants (CPA) Australia. 
 

Most recently Mr Ramasami received a scholarship from the VET Community of Practice (VETCop) to pursue a Diploma in Adult and VET education.