Having spent 50+ years out of the classroom, returning to study was the last place that 64-year-old Tony thought he would find himself. Yet it is a move that changed his world for the better, pursuing a Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing) and unlocking opportunities for a brand-new career in community care.
Tony’s affinity for being a carer has long been a part of his life, coming intuitively and indeed, second nature. “I sadly lost my wife a few years ago due to illness. Prior to that I was her carer for several years, learning in real time the ins and outs of it and finding I was good at it. I have since met a beautiful new partner Dee, but unfortunately, she had been diagnosed with cancer 3 years ago. I wanted to give her the best care possible during her treatment and ongoing.”
It is through this experience that he found encouragement and inspiration from Dee to make a living from his strengths. “She had firsthand knowledge of the way I have looked after her in a support role and said that I was incredible at it. I never really thought of making it into a career, but I decided to give it a go.”
After some research, he found ACE, and the Student Services team was the game changer for him. “You can walk in and feel the place, the people and their willingness to help, and just know it feels right. The enrolment team and staff made me feel so comfortable. I knew this was the right place to study.
And then it extended beyond that. I am 64 years old, never used a laptop in my entire life. Everything was so daunting. But the staff told me exactly what I needed to get, my trainer helped me understand how to use it, and even better I found a study buddy in class to walk me through a lot of tech stuff. I had started in Coomera as it was closer to my then-home, but I have moved further south, and it was no problem to transition into Burleigh classes. It was like a big community of people that just wanted me to succeed.”
And succeed he did. After completing work placement, he was offered a job onsite and is now focussed on a few interviews coming up in the home and community care space – a side of the industry he is most passionate about.
“I never, ever thought that I would be a carer for work, but now it just makes sense. It starts with your heart; your heart has to be in it. I always wanted to contribute to the community in a positive way, it’s the reason I get up for in the morning. Now I can do it every day as a job, using the skills I have received in this study experience, what a bonus.
I encourage anyone to follow their strengths, their passions, and study in that field. You may surprise yourself, like I did. I learnt new things, how to use modern technology, became more confident, and grew both personally and professionally. Definitely go for it.”
