Ms Dehne,18, was named the 2021 VET in Schools Student of the Year at the NT Training Awards in Darwin last month for her contribution to the NT's Vocational Education and Training sector.

Born and bred in Katherine, Ms Dehne's love for riding her grandmother's horses led to her taking up a Certificate III in Rural Operations through Katherine's CDU campus while still in school.

"I was really passionate about horses [and] one day CDU came and did some things at the school and showed us what they offered," she said.

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"That's where it all started."

Her Cert. III, which she has now completed, has taught her everything from fencing to operating tractors and earned her a work experience place breaking in horses at Tennant Creek's Juno Centre.

The Centre, which is on a 1000 hectare property used for training students from across the region, was so impressed with Ms Dehne that they offered her a traineeship for when she finishes school.

She said she has been so inspired by her teachers throughout her course that she wants to go on to do the same.

"I'll get my Cert. IV in Training and Assessment and then hopefully become a VET lecturer," she said.

"I love my lecturer. He's so passionate about what he does.

"I'm so grateful to have all the knowledge he's given us and one day I hope to do the same."

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