Vocational Training CEO of the Year 2026 (Australia): Marcus Sellen & Online Education Excellence Award 2026 Education is the pathway to opportunity. A quality education will not only set up an individual with the tools and knowledge needed to shape their life, but also the lives of those around them. This is an ethos championed wholeheartedly by Hader Institute of Education, a leading online education and training partner to learners looking to pursue a career in counselling for mental health and substance abuse challenges. We sat down with CEO Marcus Sellen to learn more, as his hard work is recognised in the APAC CEO of the Year Awards 2026. Mental health and substance abuse disorders do not only impact the individual, but also their wider community. At present, the world is overwhelmed by uncertainty, doubt, and instability. But in this darkness, many bright minds have seen the opportunity to find light, rising to meet these challenges head-on and equipping those around them with the knowledge and skills they need to thrive. This is precisely why Hader Institute of Education was born: to provide learning, community, and support that empowers people to help one another on their paths to discovery and transformation. At its core, Hader Institute of Education believes in building a future where everyone feels included, connected, and valued. Through its people, learners, industry, and wider community, the organisation strives to help people take control of their lives, opening the door to self-belief. “Our mission is to make education the pathway to opportunity, supporting good mental health and wellbeing through our people, learners, industry partners, and community.” To achieve this mission, Hader Institute of Education offers a wide range of courses spanning mental health, youth work, alcohol and other drugs, criminology and forensic investigation, community services, and dual qualifications in these areas. Flexible and self-paced, each course is offered online and can be accessed via computer by learners anywhere in Australia. Through high-quality, nationally recognised training, the education provider empowers learners to build meaningful careers in helping professions. Hader Institute of Education’s most distinctive offering is its comprehensive Job-Ready Program, which goes beyond the traditional end-result of qualification to provide tangible employment results. This program also includes guaranteed work placements via partners such as SkilTrak, resume optimisation, purposeful job searching, networking guidance, and career coaching, bridging the gap between learning and employment to ensure that graduates are prepared to enter the workforce with complete confidence. Across its courses, the organisation maintains an unwavering focus on the wellbeing of its learners. “Our strategy centres on flexible online delivery, industry-aligned curricula, and exceptional student support to achieve high completion rates and employment outcomes,” Marcus told us. “We have perfected a number of techniques to ensure this, including streamlined enrolment and onboarding, robust digital platforms for self-paced learning, proactive trainer engagement, and the integrated Job-Ready Program to maximise graduate success.” As CEO of Hader Institute of Education, Marcus Sellen stands at the very helm of this remarkable work. An expert in the Australian Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector, Marcus’ career has spanned scaling educational organisations, operational excellence, compliance, and strategic growth. He has been responsible for founding and operating Selmar Institute of Education, his own Registered Training Organisation, drawing from his name and passion for quality training. Following the successful acquisition of Selmar Institute of Education by Catalyst Education,
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