Kaye's investment in training pays off
01 April 2003
Kaye Norris.
To her clients, financial counsellor Kaye Norris from Herne Hill, would seem a picture of assuring calm. They would never suspect that the idea of returning to study "scared the living daylights" out of her.
Kaye recently completed the Diploma of Community Services (Financial Counselling) at Kangan Batman TAFE after a long break from study, having left secondary school after Year 9.
After leaving high school, Kaye worked in office administration until she married and worked at home raising her two children. She returned to the workforce around 12 years ago, taking a 10-week administrative position with Jindara Community Programs in Geelong, not far from her home in Herne Hill. She has been with the organisation ever since.
Jindara Community Programs is a government-funded agency which provides financial counselling, consumer and tenancy services. Kaye began working as a part-time financial counsellor around five years ago, and has been full-time in the role for the past 18 months.
With the encouragement and support of a work colleague and her employer, Kaye returned to study in the Diploma of Community Services (Financial Counselling) on a part-time basis over two years.
She received Recognition of Prior Learning for some subjects, reducing her class attendance times to Thursday evenings and all day on Friday. During the course she would travel up from Geelong on Thursday afternoons and stay in Melbourne on Thursday nights.
"I had considered studying off-campus as the course is not available locally, but after consideration and gaining study leave from my employer I decided to enrol at Kangan Batman TAFE in Broadmeadows. I thoroughly enjoyed attending classes, participating in presentations and hearing the many guest speakers who attended our classes on a regular basis. I believe I gained so much from the classroom environment", she says.
"I found it quite frightening returning to study, but I was so relieved after the first class. I felt welcome and that my experience was valued at TAFE."
"It was great being in a class with other adult students who are working in the field. We were a sounding board for each other, and could discuss cases and share our experiences."
Kaye also says the support she received from her teacher was "brilliant".
"Our teacher had worked as a financial counsellor, so she had a thorough understanding of the issues financial counsellors face on a daily basis. The course was really beneficial in terms of keeping up-to-date with legislation and learning about any new options available to clients."
Aside from winning one of Kangan Batman TAFE's highest student awards (the Gold Medallion for best student in the Social and Applied Sciences school), Kaye says the best reward of her studies has been her increased confidence.
"The course reinforced the knowledge I've gained on the job, which really boosted my confidence. I'd encourage anyone considering returning to study to go for it, it's not as daunting as it seems. It turned out to be an extremely rewarding two years of my life."
Kangan Batman TAFE has 24,000 students across its six campuses in Broadmeadows, Moreland, Richmond, Coburg, Avondale Heights and Essendon.
Each year in May, Kangan Batman TAFE conducts two graduation ceremonies at the Moonee Valley Racecourse to accommodate all of its graduates and award winning students.
The first ceremony, at which Kaye will receive her award, will be held on Friday 2 May. The Hume City Council is the major sponsor of the ceremony, while Broadmeadows Town Centre is the supporting sponsor.
Kaye Norris, financial counselling, has won the following awards:
- Gold Medallion Award - Social & Applied Sciences
- Silver Medallion Award - Community Services & Health
- Outstanding Achievement - Diploma of Community Services (Financial Counselling)
