St Leonards local and former international sports superstar Jake Meyer is levelling up his game development career dreams thanks to TAFE NSW.

TAFE NSW offers a successful alternative to studying the HSC for students like Jake, whose schooling years were occupied by another competing commitment – international figure skating.

“In 2017 when I was undergoing my HSC at school, I struggled due to time commitments as I was also competing for Australia internationally in figure skating,” Jake said.

“On a normal day, I had to be up and ready at the ice rink by 5:00 am, warmed up and on the ice by 5:45 am, where I would remain until 8:00 am or 9:00 am before having to rush to school.

“I found it really difficult to manage my education with my sporting to the point where I was ready to give up on school completely. I approached the school careers advisor and he recommended a course called the Certificate IV in Tertiary Preparation (TPC) at TAFE NSW. 

“When I discovered the proven outcomes of this course and learnt about some TPC alumni who had gone on to succeed in many different ways, I knew that this was exactly what I needed to do.”

Jake completed a Certificate IV in Tertiary Preparation in 2018, then went on to enrol in a Bachelor of Science in Games Development at the University of Technology Sydney in 2019. As he reaches the end of his degree, he credits TAFE NSW with preparing him so well for further study and achieving incredible results during his time at university. 

TAFE NSW Educational Pathways teacher, Melissa Knudson, said the Certificate IV in Tertiary Preparation builds confidence in people whose schooling years have been disrupted.

“The TPC is suitable for all ages and is great for people wanting to move on to higher study or from a vocational job into a profession. It is an option for students who are not happy with their ATAR, but it is also useful for people who have had trouble fitting in with the traditional schooling model,” Ms Knudson said. 

“It gives students the confidence and skills to be able to conduct research and write essays with the right referencing, learn how to critically analyse and evaluate information, manage time, and work independently. The TPC is a real head start for anyone going to university, the Defence Force, the Police Force or other tertiary study including TAFE NSW Diplomas and Degrees.”

Jake recently won an award at UTS for ‘Best Game in Game Design Studio 1’ with 46% of the total 222 votes. He’s achieved a distinction average and is looking forward to his future career in game development.

“Completing the TPC at TAFE NSW is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made for my education. Because of TAFE NSW, I was granted options and further career paths that I would have never gotten otherwise,” Jake said. 

“There are people you will meet and grow with who will assist you every step of the way because they know that you are there because you want to be there. The teachers care about your success and have continued to support my ambitions even after my time at TAFE NSW.” 

To learn more about the Certificate IV in Tertiary Preparation and employability pathways available at TAFE NSW head to www.tafensw.edu.au or phone 131 601.  

Media contact: Alice Dalley, TAFE NSW Communications Specialist, alice.dalley1@tafensw.edu.au, mobile 0402 528 210.