Cathy Discovers Her Passion and Returns to the Workforce

When Cathy Duck’s daughter started Prep in 2019, Cathy got involved in her schooling and realised she had a love for the school environment and helping young children learn and grow. She said, "I spent the entire Prep/foundation year being a parent helper. I knew what I wanted to do for a career upon returning to the workforce."

In 2020, Cathy studied a Certificate III in Education Support at Box Hill Institute, which equipped her for the workplace and prepared her for the role of teacher assistant. She said, "The course gave a good insight to planning and how to make modifications to the student's individual learning plan."

Cathy said her teachers, Kristen Geros and Andy Fearns, made her feel welcome and comfortable and, even though they had different teaching styles, students could accomplish fantastic work with their guidance and support. She said, "Kristen and Andy were clear with their information and instructions. They were always there to help you by talking after class or sending off an email."

Cathy loved her course, particularly the Promote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Safety unit. She said, "I found myself enjoying looking up Dreamtime stories and finding one called Indigenous Astronomy and The Dreaming. This short YouTube video talked about how the Indigenous culture uses the stars."

Another memorable moment for Cathy was making lemon myrtle scones while on placement. She said it was terrific using Indigenous ingredients and enjoying the scones with the children. 

Cathy said, "The facilities at Box Hill Institute are great. As you enter the building, the office is directly in front of you, and the information board helps you with what classroom you will be in. Finding everything else is easy due to good signage.

"This course gives you hands-on experience with 100 hours of placement, and for some of you, this course may be a stepping stone to further studies," she said.

Completing the Certificate III in Education Support has given Cathy an entirely new career path. She said, "I found that it has opened doors for me, and for that, I am very grateful." She is now working as an Integration Aide at a primary school where she assists two students with learning differences in a Grade 4/5.

Anyone with a passion for helping children learn will benefit from the Certificate III in Education Support, which is a Free TAFE course. Whether you are interested in working in a primary school or secondary college, there are students in need of assistance.

Box Hill Institute wishes Cathy all the best in her new career.

Interested in learning more about a Certificate III in Education Support? Enquire with us today.