A TAFE NSW graduate who is pursuing her dream of a career in criminology has offered some sage advice to students struggling with the stress of the looming HSC exams and the “perfect ATAR”.
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Just three months out from the start of the HSC exam period, Ashleigh Keighly has shared her experience of going “back to school” to gain a place at university, After leaving school early and completing an apprenticeship in hairdressing, Ashleigh was determined to make her dream come true and decided to pursue a career in criminology.
The only catch? She needed an ATAR and the academic skills to tackle a university degree.
In 2016, Ms Keighly enrolled in the Certificate IV in Tertiary Preparation at TAFE NSW Young, a unique university bridging course that equips students with the skill base required to study at an academic level.
It took only a week for her to have a life-defining light-bulb moment.
“I just loved the challenge; I was putting in the effort and getting good results and it became quite addictive,” she said.
“A week into my course I realised how much I wanted to continue studying.”
She said the flexibility of the course and the determination of teachers to help her succeed allowed her to thrive.
“The teachers went over and above to help me and it felt like we were on the same respect level – it wasn’t like the teacher-student relationship at school,” Ms Keighly said.
Ms Keighly came through the course with flying colours, earning an ATAR equivalent of 84 and earning a place in a Bachelor of Criminology.
“I feel like TAFE NSW gave me a huge advantage at uni (over high school graduates),” she said.
“I learned how to find relevant evidence to apply to an argument and I learned about annotated bibliographies. I was better prepared for the reality of university than many other students.”
Her focus now is to complete her degree and progress to a post-graduate degree in law, enabling her to pursue a career as a crown prosecutor.
TAFE NSW Team Leader of Career Pathways Deb Crowden said Tertiary Preparation Certificate students are generally an eclectic group.
“The course is generally made up of students who have not been happy with their ATAR and want to resit the HSC, or career changers who want to gain entrance to university.
“I always say ‘don’t panic’! TAFE NSW can equip you will the skills you need for the career you want,” Ms Crowden said.
Enrolments for the Certificate IV in Tertiary Preparation Certificate are now open for Semester two at Young, which commences on 23 July. Information https://www.tafensw.edu.au or 13 16 01.
