We have heaps of inspirational and successful mums at TAFE NSW, and no better day to brag about them than today.

Caroline Felgate - Pursuing her dream of becoming a midwife at 50

After 35 years outside of the education system, unstoppable mother-of-six, Caroline Felgate, has achieved her life-long dream of becoming a midwife.  Her inspiring story is a perfect example of how factors such as age and motherhood don't need to stand in the way of a woman determined enough to accomplish her professional dream.

"Midwifery had always been a passion of mine, since working as a childbirth educator in the 1980's. On turning 50 I knew in my heart that I had to try to fulfil my dream of becoming a Midwife, to be able to work with kindness and compassion alongside women through their most life changing experience," said Caroline.

"It had been 35 years since I had been at school and I lacked confidence in my ability to study and learn. My year at TAFE was wonderful; I learnt a lot about myself and my abilities through my teachers' belief in me. I worked very hard and was rewarded with good grades that meant I met the ATAR for my degree".

Caroline achieved an outstanding Tertiary Entrance Score of 294/300; the second highest score in the State (pretty damn good!).  Three years later, Caroline graduated from the University of Technology in Sydney with a Bachelor of Midwifery.

"I could never have survived university level study, let alone thrived, without the preparation and confidence TAFE gave me.  My age seemed irrelevant and I was never made to feel old or silly for wanting to go to University ‘at my age'."

"It's a dream come true to now be a registered Midwife with a wonderful and rewarding career ahead of me.  I feel truly privileged to be part of the amazing team at Nepean Hospital. I love going to work every single day to support and empower women on their own, very individual journey into motherhood."

"If I could inspire just one other woman to go for her dream and make a positive move towards a better tomorrow that would be icing on the cake!

Peta Frullani – from waitress to entrepreneur

A working mother of a four-year-old, Peta is a shining example of what mature students can achieve with motivation and commitment. After leaving school in year 10 and working as a waitress for 11 years, Peta set her sights on following her love for Horticulture.

After completing her Cert II in Horticulture, Peta got her foot in the door securing a job at Woodland Design as a Horticulture Manager.

Continuing her studies, Peta developed knowledge in plant identification, landscape construction, computer-assisted design and presentation.

Harnessing her theoretical knowledge and practical experience, Peta's designs saw her win the Australian Institute of Landscape Designers and Managers Design Competition two years in a row.

When the Blue Mountains were devastated by bushfires, Peta's horticultural designs were chosen for affected areas in Winmalee – Peta volunteered her time to oversee garden development, to the delight of local residents.

"To be a student and see your ideas and projects come to fruition in the real word is a phenomenal feeling," Peta said.

Now managing her own business, Peta credits her success to the support of staff at TAFE.

"The support from teachers at TAFE is incredible – with a four-year-old I sometimes felt overwhelmed and was ready to throw in the towel but my teachers always pulled me aside and asked what they could do to tailor my course to my lifestyle."

Peta insists that it's never too late to achieve and learn – and that no matter your circumstance, you can realise your full potential with a qualification from TAFE.

"The most rewarding feeling is finishing your degree – getting the credit and validation for all of your hard work," Peta said.

We couldn't agree more.

We have so many inspirational and thriving women at TAFE NSW, it was ridiculously difficult to narrow it down to just two for today. Take it from us, this is just a snippet of how amazing some of the mums representing TAFE NSW truly are.

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