Fiona Parker, an early childhood educator, doesn’t try to hide her love for her job.
“I've got such a passion for teaching! There's something about being able to share knowledge and have the students understand how it all fits together. It’s great watching them put what they've learned into practice,” she explains.
“Part of being able to teach is imparting real-life experience. I've been there, I've done that – so I've always got an actual example that I can relate things back to. It makes it easier for the students to convert learning into understanding.”
Fiona is new to teaching, beginning work as an educator in 2023. But she knows it is a perfect career progression for her.
“I held management positions for 15 years, and towards the end what I really wanted to do was be coaching and mentoring my staff. And so I thought maybe now is the time to do my qualification and start teaching. It had been on my mind for a while but I just hadn't got there yet.”
The biggest positives for Fiona about her new role are the work-life balance that she has gained and the extra time it has given her to spend with family.
“The hours I am working are a lot more flexible. When I was in business I was going into the office, and I was there for up to 50 hours a week. I don't have that now. I've got flexibility and my job can work in harmony with my personal life and my other commitments.”
Fiona is also enthusiastic about Bendigo TAFE as a workplace.
“I studied here and I also have family members who studied here. I know the quality of learning that the students receive. And so when I was looking for work as a teacher, I had in mind a few places where I’d be happy to work, and this was certainly one of them. It’s awesome.”
“I’ve found support at every level. The people who I work with are so happy to work as a team and they're really willing to share information. Every step of the way there's been guidance and training so that I have constant opportunities to improve and learn.”
