For South Regional TAFE lecturer in Individual Support, Sandy Manchip, teaching is more than just delivering a qualification, it’s about helping students build meaningful careers that change lives.
With a passion for the industry and helping students discover where those pathways can lead, Sandy inspires and supports students in the many options available and the positive impact they can have on the lives of others.
“I love knowing that we are preparing students for careers where they can make such a meaningful difference in someone’s life. Whether they are supporting an older person or a person living with disability, it is about connection, dignity, respect, compassion, and helping people live their best lives. Being able to play a part in preparing students for that is incredibly rewarding”.
“Students come into the course not always knowing exactly where their journey will take them and I then watch them discover what they are passionate about. Some students find their calling in aged care, while others discover a real passion for disability support, mental health, community services or becoming a Health Service Assistant. Others continue on to do the Preparation for Health and Nursing Studies at TAFE followed by enrolled nursing or even education, such as Educational Support and then on to university to become a teacher”.
One aspect of the course that can surprise students, according to Sandy, is that there can be a misconception that aged care or disability support is simply about helping people with everyday tasks, but students quickly discover that these are highly skilled and incredibly rewarding professions.
I think they are also surprised by how many opportunities can come from their qualification. A student might start thinking, “I want to work in aged care,” and along the way discover a real passion for disability, mental health, nursing, or education”.
With so many pathways and opportunities available, students can tailor their careers to their interests and aspirations. They can go into roles such as an aged care worker, personal care worker or support worker, but the Certificate III can also be the beginning of a much bigger career journey.
“Students can start in aged care and then complete additional units to gain a disability qualification. From there, they can move into disability support, mental health or other areas of community and health services”.
The course can also lead to Health Services Assistant roles or further study in nursing, with eligible students receiving credit for previous learning. Students interested in education can also move from Disability Support into a Certificate III in Education Support, then Certificate IV, and eventually continue their studies towards teaching at university.
“That’s what makes this course so exciting — it doesn’t have to be the end of the journey. It can be the beginning of so many different careers in aged care, disability, mental health, nursing, health services, community services, and education.”
If you have the heart to care for people and the willingness to learn, Individual Support can be the beginning of an incredibly rewarding career — and potentially a pathway into so many different areas of health, community services, disability, allied health and education.