TAFE NSW has helped a Wollongong grandmother of seven follow her passion and retrain for a new career helping people in need.

Anne Kelly recently completed a Certificate IV in Community Services after more than 40 years working in government policy and project implementation within the disability and domestic and family violence sectors.

Anne studied through TAFE Digital so she could learn at her own pace and said at 62, it was the right time to take the plunge and do something she felt truly passionate about.

“As we get older, there is an expectation that our career needs to keep being bigger and better, but I came to a point where family was most important to me. I wanted to work part-time and spend more quality time with my grandchildren while still doing something I love,” Anne explained.

“I knew that TAFE NSW could give me the hands-on skills I needed to make that change.”

Anne said TAFE NSW supported her career change every step of the way.

“TAFE Digital was perfect for me – I did the course while working full-time and the flexibility was fantastic. I studied evenings and weekends, whenever it suited me,” she said.

“The staff at TAFE NSW, from the teachers right through to the IT people and administration team, were so encouraging and helpful. I spoke to a careers counsellor before I applied, which was invaluable to help me decide what to study.”

Anne said she feels ready for a whole new working life and plans to volunteer at her local community centre before finding paid work.

“The skills taught at TAFE NSW are immensely practical. We had the opportunity to role play as case managers and to undertake work placement, which gives you have the opportunity to apply what you’ve been learning in a workplace,” she said.

“That kind of relevant, real-life training was so valuable. All the materials and research we did was excellent and taught us about different people you might come across, what their needs might be, and how to determine those. I’m so excited about what the future holds for me.”

Anne encouraged anyone who wants to switch careers to stop dreaming and start studying.

“I have had colleagues over the years who desperately wanted a different job but were too scared to make that change,” she said.

“TAFE NSW made it such a seamless transition for me. There is really nothing to be afraid of and everything to gain.”

Explore hundreds of courses and pursue your passion with life-changing training at TAFE NSW. For more information visit www.tafensw.edu.au or phone 131 601.

Media contact: Terra Sword, Communications Specialist. Phone: 6623 0325. Email: terra.sword@tafensw.edu.au.