Brad — Education and training
Why did you choose to study in the education and training field?
I originally wasn’t sure what I wanted to do after school but I always enjoyed coaching and teaching people aspects of sport and helping them develop as people outside of sport, so I chose to study education.
What was the best thing about your course?
The best part about the course was the opportunities for placement. We had the chance to undertake placement at schools in several regions, which enabled us to experience a variety of schools, from small country schools with around 30 students to larger primary schools with up to 600 students.
What was the worst thing about your course?
The worst thing I found was that the course seemed to drag out quite a lot. It was a four-year course, but I believe that a lot of the content could easily be completed in two to three years.
What did your course involve?
Over four years, the course involved around eight to twelve contact hours a week with lectures and tutorials. It also involved 80 days of placement experience at a variety of schools.
Have you found work in your field?
I have undertaken casual relief teaching (CRT) work this year, which I love, but there is limited work as you are relying on teachers being away or sick. There are lots of opportunities for full-time employment but there are also a lot of people looking for jobs, so it can be quite competitive. A lot of the jobs are also in country areas, so you may need to be prepared to be flexible with where you are willing to teach.
What advice would you give to students considering studying education and training?
The first bit of advice I would give to students considering studying education is if you aren’t a person who is patient and tolerant of children then I wouldn’t even consider a career in education. To cope with a job in education you must be able to build a positive rapport with students and other staff and be able to deal with stressful circumstances. In relation to getting a job after graduating, you need to be very proactive in seeking employment and be prepared to travel to find employment.
Will you complete further study?
If I complete any further study it will be to learn different languages such as French, Spanish or Auslan.
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