How Churchill Education Started

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Our Story

Meet our co-founders Tricia Velthuizen & Randall Smith

Together with his wife Tricia, Randall began Churchill Education from a desk in the corner of their bedroom. Over time, it evolved into the organisation it is today, much larger in scale and scope, but always with the same simple goal: helping people.

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Randall's Journey

In a way, Churchill Education began when one of our co-founders, Randall Smith, finally understood that he couldn’t keep working as a senior detective with the Queensland Police Service.

After sixteen years and an illustrious career in the force, Randall found himself completely sidelined by Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. He realised that he’d have to leave it all behind: his role, responsibilities, career progress, badge and the identity that came with it.

Randall knew that his skills and experience were substantial, but he had no qualifications that meant anything to anyone outside the police. So, when he looked into his options for employment, he realised he needed to go through the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process, to show potential employers what he was capable of.

He set about obtaining business management qualifications through RPL, and was surprised at how frustrating, complicated and time-consuming the process was. Randall eventually got his qualifications, and then some!
The process itself became the foundation of his next career – helping others through the RPL procedure to get their nationally recognised qualifications.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Specialists

Churchill Education specialises in helping talented people from a wide range of industry backgrounds to convert their experience into nationally recognised qualifications.

Corporate Education Solutions

Custom designed Leadership and Management Courses

Fast Team RPL Assessments to meet the requirements of tenders and corporate clients

Mobile/onsite RPL Assessments

We have worked with a range of wonderful organisations including:

Mates4Mates
Downer Group
Department of Agriculture & Fisheries
Queensland Health
Department of Transport & Main Roads
Samford State School

Our Values

Whatever qualifications you are seeking, whatever industry background, professional skills or life journey you bring with you, we welcome, respect and acknowledge your stories and experiences. Thank you for taking the time to read ours.

BRAVERY
AUTHENTICITY
COMPASSION
HUMOUR
INTELLIGENCE

Churchill and Community

Churchill Education operates from a landmark building in its local community of Samford, just outside Brisbane, and has a resolute commitment to its comprehensive Corporate Social Responsibility program. and supporting charitable organisations and individuals in the local community, as well as those at national and international levels.

View Corporate Social Responsibility Program

Our Values

You will find many stories from our graduates on our Blog

Graduate Reviews

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"It was very succinct with respect to what I had to produce, and within no time, to my surprise, my assessment came back with some substantial accreditation."

"The opportunities are still the same, but I’m looking at them differently because last week I was looking without the formal credentials; this week I have them."

"You come out of Defence with a broad skill set, particularly in management and leadership, which are two things that are often spoken about but not completely understood."

"I was gobsmacked with the qualifications I was able to achieve. I knew I could get some due to my experience and skill set, but I just didn’t think I’d end up with four!"

"I was really impressed with how quick and professional Churchill was. They are there to help, they don’t beat around the bush, and they don’t leave you hanging."

"As a member of Defence you don’t actually realise this. You can’t apply for civil accreditation, until you actually have a separation day."

“It was very smooth, and very easy to apply. I gave them the information they needed, and they did the rest.”

"‘I went from thinking that I didn’t really have much from nine years of policing to an amazing level of self-worth."