1 August 2022

In 2020, Albion Park hairdresser Jude Goodair was wheelchair-bound and wondering whether she would ever work again after suffering an accident while renovating.

Two years on and she has just been crowned the Technology and Business Student of the Year at the TAFE NSW Excellence Awards and is eyeing a rewarding career in a whole new field.

She credits much of her incredible transformation to the power of TAFE NSW in helping locals reshape their careers – and their lives.

Ms Goodair, 44, was a hairdresser for nearly three decades and ran the successful Snip ‘n’ Style Hair by Jude before her life changed in an instant when a roof of a caravan collapsed in on her while renovating.

Realising her hairdressing days were over, Ms Goodair, who had been working in volunteer administration roles at her local netball club, decided to pursue a career in business administration.

After undergoing successful back surgery, the mum-of-three enrolled in a Certificate III in Business Administration at TAFE NSW Shellharbour to give her the practical skills to make a flying start to a new career. She thrived in the adult, hands-on learning environment and immediately enrolled in a Certificate IV in Business Administration after graduating. She has since commenced a Diploma of Business.

“I knew I could no longer do what I’d always done as a hairdresser because if the surgery wasn’t successful, I was looking at being in a wheelchair for life,” Ms Goodair said. “I realised that business admin was something I enjoyed and it was something you could do even if you were lying flat in bed.”

She said the TAFE NSW expert teachers helped her learn how to harness the power of programs such as Word, Excel and Powerpoint, and better understand the technical side of an administration role.

“I had no idea to what extent the programs could help or how they integrated together,” she said. “I also learned so much about things like policy and procedure and the courses have really set me up for a successful new career.”

Ms Goodair said was “humbled” by recently winning the TAFE NSW Technology and Business Student of the Year award.

TAFE NSW Shellharbour business administration head teacher Jodie Moes described Ms Goodair as an “exceptional student and person” and said she would make a positive impact on the industry.

“Jude was a real leader in the class during what was a very difficult time,” Ms Moes said. “It was a real privilege to have her in the class and I know she will make an amazing business admin professional.

“The truth is, every business in Australia requires some form of business administration … without good administration, businesses fail. With a TAFE NSW qualification, you can do a wide variety of roles in the field and our graduates are in high demand because of the quality of our training and our connection to industry.”

To explore the range of courses available at TAFE NSW and via TAFE Digital, visit www.tafensw.edu.au or phone 131 601 for more information.

Media contact: Dan Johns, TAFE NSW Communications Specialist, mobile 0477 722 428