EdConnect set to grow and flourish in 2025

 

A Letter from the CEO

It is with mixed emotions that I announce that I will be leaving EdConnect Australia at the end of January 2025 to take on a new CEO role.

We have achieved so much in less than two years – significant revenue growth, brand growth, and program growth … but most importantly of all, the massive growth in the number of students at educational risk that we (through our growing cohort of dedicated volunteers) have been able to impact – up 63% to over 22,000 in 2024 from 13,500 in 2022.

I have been faced with a very difficult (and unexpected) decision. It was incredibly tough and as I weighed up the pros and cons, I reflected on what we have already achieved in such a short space of time:

  • The fact that we have exceeded our 2025 student impact target a year ahead of plan.
  • The outstanding management team and leaders that we have.
  • The great strides we have made in the marketing and brand area.
  • The incredible staff and volunteers that we have.
  • The significant and diversified multi-year revenue that we have secured.
  • The opportunity to pick up and continue the Ardoch programs that are. closely aligned with our strategy.
  • The opportunity to start our program in a new state (Tasmania) next year.
  • The momentum that we have built toward our 2030 target to impact 50,000 students.

With the quality leaders, staff and volunteers that we have, the organisation is in great hands, and it will undoubtedly continue to grow and flourish.

I will leave with a sense of enormous pride in what we have achieved on behalf of the disengaged students who simply need, as one Principal aptly put it, someone in their corner.

A big thanks to our board who collectively and individually have always been supportive of our direction and strategy. By the start of February, the Board will appoint an acting CEO and an executive search firm to carry out the recruitment of our new CEO. As EdConnect is embarking on a significant growth journey and developing a wider national footprint, it is critical that we review the external candidate pool as well as internal candidates, to select the right person to lead the team through this expansion phase.

Since the Christmas break, I have been touching base with as many of you as I could as important supporters of the organisation. Sorry I couldn’t get to you all, but I have been overwhelmed already by how appreciative you are of what we have been able to achieve together. If you have any questions regarding your partnerships, please reach out to me directly on michael.pailthorpe@edconnect.org.au, or feel free to chat to our WA General Manager carol.shannon@edconnect.org.au or our East Coast General Manager danie.mcneil@edconnect.org.au.

Regards,
Michael Pailthorpe
CEO, EdConnect Australia 

More Information

Find Out More

Carol Shannon
WA General Manager
M 0417 997 487
E carol.shannon@edconnect.org.au

Danie McNeil
East Coast General Manager
M 0498 999 279
E danie.mcneil@edconnect.org.au