Although Donna left school before completing Year 10, she forged a successful long-term career with a newsagent and then with this organisation, the McPherson Media Group.
After four decades of work, though, Donna took the brave step to pursue a vastly different professional direction and enrolled in a TAFE course.
“It was way out of my comfort zone to do it, but I’m proud of myself that I did do it,” she said.
She had always wanted to study nursing and had an interest in caring for people in general, and the elderly specifically.
Some inquiries saw her enrol in a one-year certificate III in individual support and care at GOTAFE.
She cut back her full-time hours to three days-a-week to take on the two days-a-week study commitment of one day on site and one day online.
“After my first day at TAFE, I went home and I cried and said, ‘Why did I do it?’,” Donna said.
“I had a pretty bad day that day because my laptop died. It was pouring with rain that day. I arrived. I was running late. I couldn’t find my classroom and so I went home that night and all I did was cry.”
Then the assessments started.
“It was challenging trying to get the assessments and everything done,” she said.
“It took a bit to get back into study.”
Being the eldest in the classroom also felt a little weird, at first, but soon enough friendships developed.
“The whole class, none of them ever made me feel like I was the old duck in the classroom,” Donna said.
“They were all really supportive and we’ve kept in contact now still, and one of them’s getting married next March and we’ve been invited to her wedding.”
Donna said support around her course was also vital to her completing her qualification.
“I couldn’t ask for a better trainer, she was very supportive and I think that’s what got me through, having that classroom support,” she said.
Now caring for clients two-and-a-half days a week and working as a disability support coordinator for the rest of the week, Donna doesn’t regret taking the risk of learning a new craft in adulthood.
“You’ve got to think outside of what you know and explore your options,” she said.
“It was worthwhile. Yes. Really worthwhile.
“I felt very proud of myself and my family were very proud of me too for doing it, very proud of me.”
“Do it. Definitely do it,” she said.
Learn more about adult learners week at adultlearnersweek.org/
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