About Us
We believe in bridging the gap between education and industry by equipping young people with purpose-driven, transferable, and industry-endorsed skills through stackable digital credentials – ensuring they enter the workforce ready to contribute while supporting businesses in building future-fit talent pipelines.
Our mission at groei education is to empower young people, governments, schools and communities by creating innovative, project-based learning experiences that develop future-thinking skills, align education with real-world industry needs, and inspire meaningful change. We aim to foster resilient learning ecosystems that equip individuals to discover their passions, drive creativity, and transform their communities for a better future.
groei
(Pronounced GROW-ee)
Grow Business
Grow Innovation
Grow EcoSystems
Grow Future Skills
groei = grow + entrepreneurship + innovation
Groei (dutch) (noun), Growth – the act or process of growing, increasing, developing.
Our directors
Tara Jacobsen
Founder, Director
Tara Jacobsen is an experienced entrepreneur, business strategist, facilitator, and collective leadership specialist. She loves getting off the beaten track and exploring new people and cultures. With over 20 years experience in applying strategy to corporate learning and development, education, business growth and organisational development. As much at ease with start-ups and regional entrepreneurship as corporate enterprises, Tara’s experience as an expert in human and social capital development is an invaluable resource in the development of groei programs.
Tara is currently undertaking a PhD in Innovation and Strategy of regional entrepreneurship. She lectures in Corporate Entrepreneurship at University of Sunshine Coast in the MBA program and is also the co -producer of a successful podcast Project Leap sharing stories and advocating for rural and regional entrepreneurs.
Likes: Hiking a mountain, travelling on unmarked tracks finding new paths, growing things, hearing stories of success about rural regional businesses and working with them for growth.
Amanda Cole
Co-Founder
With over twenty years of working closely with entrepreneurs from business startup to maturity, Amanda Cole has seen her clients win awards, build strong and sustainable businesses and attain significant personal goals. As a leadership coach and strategy facilitator with Spark Consultants she has worked closely with business leaders to enable them with the tools to grow their business. Amanda is also Non-executive company director, and currently Chairman of four private company advisory boards including Shadforths Civil Construction and Sunfresh Linen.
She is also Australia’s first and longest serving female Chairman for leading peer mentoring organisation The Executive Connection. Amanda is the recipient of the Centenary Medal for business and winner of the Telstra Young Business Woman’s Award (Qld) in 2000.
Likes: Wandering in the bush, skiing black runs, cooking for the family, drawing birds, facilitating strategy